Ricochet 戦争
by OrangeInk101a
Summary: When she wished she would live, being reincarnated in a chaotic Shinobi world was not what she had in mind. Now, she shall be forced to learn that true strength is how you pick yourself up after you fall; and most expectations don't turn out quite the way you expected them to be. (AU, reincarnation, spoilers?) BEING EDITED
1. The Beginning of the End

Warning: Narutoverse will never belong to me. Period.

There are some graphics, swearing, and to be blunt embarrassing things in this story. But I'm trying to keep it as realistic as possible-as realistic as one could suddenly pop up in the narutoverse granted-but as natural as possible.

Smile:)

* * *

_"Death is stripping away all that is not you. The secret of life is to die before you die-and find there is no death."_

_-Eckhart Jolle_

Chapter One:

No one can outrun it, it is the fastest thing ever to exist. It has no reason, no right, no shame, no happiness. It simply is what it is, there is no changing it at all.

You could compare it to how a tiger and its claws, or how it is as natural as a human in its own skin. It simply fluctuates and power becomes futile. Not one person has escaped the power it dangles in front of our noses.

It robs you blind, steals what is most precious to your own. Yet it gives you new meaning, a sickening curiosity that chills you to the bone.

Yet too many fear it, instead of welcome it.

_Death_.

Too many fear it, it is as natural as you are alive. It is no phenomenon, no strange out of this world supernatural. You, were given the gift of being alive, but one day-with this gift, you'll have to give it back. It almost like renting car spaces, you pull in, pay the ticket, and away you go. Some leave too early, and other's too late…But some, some leave at exactly the right time.

My death wasn't sudden, nor was it unexpected.

It wasn't very climatic, and there was no mistake about it. It wasn't sudden nor painless.

I had cancer. A disease that ate your flesh and killed you off slowly, when I was diagnosed people around me were always optimistic, and survivors always visited me with happy grins. _'you'll live,'_ Their eyes said softly, '_we did.' _

_Osteosarcoma is a rare bone disease that usually develops in teenagers, athletic teenagers. It is a malignant bone tumor that grows rapidly, sometimes if contained the patient may survive with a missing limb, but other times if it is not contained then the cancerous cells would spread._

But I couldn't bring myself too, I couldn't bring myself to smile and be happy-though I often tried. My cancer wasn't contained, we were too late. I was going to die, even now my arms were skinny rails and my leg was a toothpicks My right leg was chopped off right above the knee, the first operation in hoping to stop the cancer.

But I was going to die, here, alone in a white room counting the groves in the ceiling.

What awaited me? It seemed so surreal, death happens all around us, but when you think about your own death, what will happen to you, you can't stop the feeling of your stomach dropping out from under you. The world spinning out of control, why are we so afraid of the unknown? Why-What do we have to live for?

Why are we alive in the first place-if we are just going to give it back?

What are we supposed to learn? What are we supposed to do? What's the purpose the motive behind it?

Ha. Now I'm being suspicious of death, a garbled laugh sprang to my lips, "Mommy?"

I looked over at my bedside, perhaps, maybe, I wasn't alone after all. I still had the person who meant the world to me. Samantha, my adorable five-year-old daughter. Who I'd die for in a heartbeat, I cursed death for being so selfish. I wasn't going to see my baby doll grow, I was going to miss her making breakfast, and reminding her to brush her teeth. I was going to miss holding her hand to get on the bus, I was going to miss as she went through school with flying colors, and those night lulling her to sleep. I was going to miss her climbing in my bed to snuggle up to me, I was going to miss her first dance, her first awkward conversation with a boy (Two words: Cootie Stage) I was going to miss grabbing ice cream, taking long walks, all of her birthday parties, and buying school supplies. I was going to miss her prom, and her graduation. I was going to miss shopping with her and eating Chinese Takeout, I was going to miss helping her pack for college and her landing her first real job. I was going to miss her crashing her first car (That's not something to be proud of, but practically inevitable) I was going to miss her settling down with some bloke I would threaten to beat up if he'd ever hurt her, I would miss her falling in love for him and having a dozen kids. I would miss seeing her fret over them and in turn, she tuck them in at night.

Instead I would be leaving her, with a necklace chain and a grave. For her to stare at her entire life and wonder what kind of mother I would have been if I was there.

Death was selfish.

For now, I just advert my eyes and whisper, "Everything's okay, babydoll, how's your Aunt been?"

Then she'd smile so large I was afraid her face would crack and launch into an epic adventure of digging worms out of the garden and fishing in the pond with her cousins. I would smile, and hold my tears, I would miss this too.

Why couldn't I have died at least protecting my daughter? In some accident where I heroically save her life or something? Why couldn't I have rocked her world with my 'mother lameness' kids always seem to complain about? I was never the world's best mother, I would never get a trophy for the either, but why couldn't I have done something other than rot my brains out in a hospital? I didn't want her to see me like this, I wanted her to remember the times where I used to swing her around the lawn, and when I taught her to ride her bike.

Why, what did a sweet kid like her do, to see her mother rot in a hospital?

It would scar her.

I could only hope my love would soothe them over.

I was so jealous of my sister, she'd see my babydoll grow up, the most perfect girl in the world. I had sworn her to take care of Samantha, for ever and ever and ever. Till death.

I looked over my oxygen mask, my daughter cuddled right up next to me. Though my breath was heavy and machine like, and I was so pale, I looked like one of the monsters she was so afraid of, hiding under her bed. The vessels had popped in my eyes, giving me a sleepless look, and back threads scattered under my skin, I knew it wouldn't be long now, maybe a day or two, maybe an hour.

"Babydoll," I choked out, as Samantha paused in trying to dig a hole for China under my arm. "Promise me something," I said almost absently, petting her head. She nodded at me to continue, and I dragged a long rattling breath, "Take care of yourself, before all else alright?"

Looking away from her eyes, I flashbacked to the pain of Samantha's 'father' abandoning us, (He may have sired the most beautiful girl on the planet, but she was my daughter.) I remembered all the fear and hate he stirred within me. There's was not a person more I wished death for, yet he was as healthy as a whistle, happy screwing women and stealing money.

"Remember that fear and hate can never conquer love." I grimaced, how cheesy could I get? "That…If you love something, the stronger you will is to survive and protect. The stronger you'll grow." I looked down at her, "You, are the most amazing event in my life," I flicked her nose and gave a small, dry grin from behind my mask, amused by her wide eyes. "Don't shut people completely out, promise me."

Samantha gulped an held out her pinky, my lips stretched as I met her halfway and wrapped my finger around hers, "Promise me that you'll try your best to be happy, and if that ever fails, love. Promise me that you'll live on, making a living." Samantha nodded again,

"And promise me that…" I paused looking at her seriously, "That you'll never give up or in, that you'll be happy and stick to your decisions-that you'll remember to brush your hair in the mornings and clean your teeth at night. That you'll always eat a good breakfast and keep yourself healthy-that you'll-" I caught myself with a dry sob, damn it. I didn't want this to happen!

Samantha's eyes started tearing up and pink stains turned magenta against her pale skin. "M-M-Mom!"

"Promise me that, no matter what, you accept yourself. That you will never hate yourself or blame yourself for matters out of your hands or cannot change." I petted her hair again softly, "Promise me,"

"I-I-I p-promise."

"Good," I whispered and pulled her in my arms, "I love you, Samantha."

I suppose I was lucky compared to some families, some never got a goodbye.

Samantha clutched me a leaked a few sobs, I held her tiny frame against me humming a soft tune, it was better now, I supposed. That she'd start her mourning early, so it could be done quicker. I wished I could take all pain and haul it across my back or stamp it out in the dust. It tore fierce daggers across my heart seeing her like this, and I hoped it wouldn't stay long. I fiercely hoped that whatever came after death would be similar to the pain she felt now, twice fold. She didn't deserve the pain I brought to her.

_"Painted across the night sky...Forever and a day, My love my love my darling" _My voice was a gentle hum and Samantha paused in her sobbing, "_a million years away, I'll watch over you, today my darling love." _My hands made rhythmic motions across her small muscles, calming her. _"And whatever comes tomorrow, begins with today, I'll still be here beside you." _Samantha started to snuggle and squirm to get more comfortable in my arms, a small grin stretched on my face as I pulled my mask off, my voice transforming into something worlds softer, _"Even when the storms turn grey and cloudy, when the winds becomes a vehement foe, I'll be beside you, guiding the way. My love, My love, My darling." _Samantha was quiet, "_Forever and a day, remember this, my love, remember this day. Painted across the night sky, forever and a day. A million years away, today my darling hue," _Samantha's eyes started fluttering, she was such a cute kid. _"I'll watch over you today. And whatever comes tomorrow, splash in the colors of the sky, today my darling hue, I'll be beside you. Even when the flood turns in and the fire licking your feet, I'll guide you way, beside you. Painted across the night sky, forever and a day, forever…and a day." _Samantha was asleep, she had been tired coming here, stress takes a lot out of little kids. "_My love, my love, my darling." _Man, I was a sap.

I slowly drifted off, the blackness slowly consuming me like a coat or a warm fleece blanket, I realized dimly that I had forgotten about my oxygen mask, which kept my lungs from collapsing. It lay in the palm of my right hand like a mockery, but it was too painful for me to try to strap in back on. Dimly, from the mind-clouding haze, I could hear the heart monitor going crazy and some kind of alarm going off. My baby doll shifted beside me, calling my name, but I was too far gone, _"_Get her out of here!"I wanted to roar through the pain of having my heart beat out of my chest. My vision faded to nothing as _agony _ripped through my body, and swirled around my chest. I felt like I was drowning, and dribbles of blood escaped from my lips.

Then it all fell to black.

There was no outer body experience, no light at the end of a long tunnel, just, blackness. Darkness.

It felt kind of like you were underwater, but there was no burning in your lungs, no pain. But there was thick substances everywhere, circling you, like a little bubble. I spent a great deal in this space, I needed no food, no air, no bathroom breaks. I just, existed. But my thoughts were sluggish I could still remember my name, and I gripped to it like a lifeline, _Kelly._ Kelly who? _Anderson._ My mind would throw a small party for remembering my name.

Who are you? _Secretary of John White, Single mother of Samantha Anderson. _

How old are you? _Twenty Five_

Why are you here? _I died, duh. _I was becoming worried for my sanity.

But for me it took _ages _for me to for these responses. I pondered this sluggishly for a while, where was my angel to take me to heaven? (Or demon to bring me to hell? For that matter) was I some Heaven-and-Hell reject?

Where were the pearly gates or the pits of fire? _Maybe the Fates are playing with you, 'Haha surprise! You're going to neither 'cause you got the wrong religion!' _That. Would suck.

I kicked out in frustration, trying to escape the Bubble of Doom, as I now call it, a small while ago, I had noticed my little space getting smaller and smaller, so I kicked and lashed out more and more, hoping for an escape. Perhaps death was mocking me, perhaps it now sent me here for me to slowly die (again?) Because I knew that if I couldn't escape the bubble, I was going to be compacted and squeezed in all the wrong places.

The space around me grew tighter and tighter, I was also aware how I didn't need sleep, though my eyelids were closed, I struggled to open them, but it was an impossible feat. _Why am I so weak? _

I was warm however, comfortable, despite the walls closing in the Bubble of Doom. I snuggled into one of the bouncy walls of the bubble, a tiny smile on my lips. A part of me didn't ever wan to leave here, it was safe, _warm, _and here I could forget. I could forget the pain of my past life. I could forget how I could've saved my father, my mother's abandonment, the struggles of barely being a pregnant teenager, dropping out of college and landing a low-score job. I could forget all the snobs and jeers of my friends who didn't want to associate with me, here, I could forget all of that raw betrayment.

But I couldn't forget Samantha.

Was she okay? How was she dealing? Or maybe, she had gotten over my death already, god knows how long it's been. I didn't want to think about how scarred she was going to grow up, watching her mother die in front of her. How _selfish_ death was, how _incompetent_ I was to die in front of my daughter!

_I'm sorry. _

_I'm so sorry. _

But I was alright wasn't I? I was in the neither regions, somewhat between life and death, was there a way for me to get back to her?

I felt something beneath me break, I shifted wearily. 'Here it comes,' I thought darkly, 'Death has decided heaven or hell.'

The bubbled around me drained slowly, I squirmed, squashed against the very tight bubble now. It was uncomfortable and itchy, _stop stop stop. _

I was being suffocated, the walls of the bubble of doom compressed against me. Something that was warm and secure turned into my own worst enemy in just a small span of time. I felt like it had deceived me, I felt cheated. Suddenly I was being conformed and squeezed, I tried to scream for help. But there was no one, just this sickening presence of being pressed.

Then, I was moving, sinking painfully. I screamed kicked, damnit! I wasn't going without a fight. If hell wanted me I wasn't going to go down passively. I kicked and punched while the walls around me moved and trembled. Then I blacked out, I passed out from the constant pushing and fighting.

The next thing I realized was a cold rush of air, a biting cold that froze my bones. I cried, it was so cold it was almost painful. Then I felt something pick me up, then something wrapped around me, I cried and cried and sobbed. I realized something, I had been in the dark for so long, I had forgotten how to open open my eyes, slowly I peeled my lids back, no longer was I in the Bubble of Doom.

I was blinded, the light pierced my eyes like daggers, _What. The. Fuck. Is. This? _My vision was completely blurry, Was I blind? I saw massless creature loom over me, their faces covered in shadow, _Come at me bastards! I can take you damnit-Give me back my daughter! _

Their voices poured in my ears like hot acid, I cringed at my delicate ears were bombarded.

My hand escaped the tiny shell I was wrapped in, I waved my fist angrily, then I peered at it, _Why is my fist so pudgy and small? _An uneasy feeling stirred in my gut, I looked up at the shadowy figures, _they are people…Then I am…_I opened my fist to stare at it, _a baby?!_

_No possible way. This isn't possible._

_I've been reincarnated._

* * *

_If you noticed my character blames herself for everything, and she's also very sarcastic. She's designed to amuse with dry humor-_

_I originally got this idea from Artsome and her story 'Clockwork and a teacup' Which you should totally read! It sprung to my head that I should spring another story much like it hmm! _

_ s/8684118/1/Clockwork-and-a-teacup_

Anyway-

_Reviews are love! The REAL surprise comes next chapter and after-oblivion! _


	2. Dawning (Revised)

Chapter 2:

"We're born, we live, we die.

Not necessarily in that order.

We put things to rest, only to have them rise up again.

So, if death is not the end, what can we count on anymore?

Because you sure can't count on anything in life.

Life is the most fragile, unstable, unpredictable thing there is.

In fact, there is only one thing in life that we can be sure of

It ain't over till it's over."

-Unknown

_I've been reincarnated…_

_I've been what?!_

Bubbling panic spread through me as I let out another wail-_why? Why can't you just let me die normally?! Was it _that_ hard?! _I mentally threw every curse in my head to whomever or _whatever _put me in this kind of predicament. _If you wanted me to live in the first place why couldn't I live with my daughter?!_

I settled my resentment and confusion, I needed to observe my surroundings-_was I really in a child's body? Why would I be here? If reincarnation was natural then why were my memories still intact?_ _Why so soon? Why? What? I cried and screamed over my loss._ Something wasn't quite adding up, my frail body was shifted and passed around, many of which the shadows cooed and awed.

_Oh my god. Oh my god. Get away from me! Ha-I thought you were reincarnated as the thing you hate the most. I could be a spider. _I shuddered, _Really? That's the first thing I think of? Why couldn't I be a fluffy kitten or something? Their lives consist of lazing, eating, and sleeping. Perfect. Humans are too complicated and dreary. They might be smart but the Trama Llama usually everything up. Why couldn't I be a fuzzy cat?_

I frowned immediately at myself; _that was just too cynical. I don't need an argument with myself right now on the pro's and con's of the humane species._

My motto always was: "Laugh first, cry later." Same for panic and just about every other emotion. Honestly, looking back, I wasn't that shocked at my reactions, they distracted me from the harshness of the new reality I was set into.

My first hint pass by me- was when I was passed to a set of firm and strong arms. I could _feel_ hands grip me tightly, as if I'm about to break into small fragments. My eyes sought theirs as they leaned down to study me, obsidian eyes met onyx, I stared wide eyed at the child, well, boy a few years older then I. _He looks….familiar. _I thought to myself looking up into his eyes, I smiled unsurely, as he was studying me rather intensely. I felt a nice coiling energy flow from myself and mingle with his calm-soothing one. I stopped crying and wailing with grief, shock and pain. My eyesight was blurry, but I knew I would succumb to sleep soon-or hopefully-death. A small smudged smile flickered across his face, he whispered to me in a strange language. A tone that didn't grate my ears together like scraping fingernails-no, his voice was smooth and liquidly, like a running stream descending from a mountain, peaceful, quiet. Safe. I almost instantly liked him, his aura brushed against mine and made my panic slow to a stop. I leaned into his frame with a smile and a laugh, he was like a sweet relief. I felt my self being rocked-but I was too groggy by then to care-then I sunk into blessed darkness.

…

When I awoke I realized I was in a Hospital Nursery, around me the sounds of babies annoyed me greatly, I stayed quiet but tried to wriggle around. I needed to get my facts straight,

I died.

I am now a baby.

The Bubble of Doom must've been my 'mother's' womb. (I shuddered slightly, no person should remember that. Not to mention how it would sound if I just walked up to some random person and say, 'Hi! My real name is Kelly Anderson, I remember what it's like to be in a mother's womb, want to hear it?' It would be scarier then the Ghost stories they told to kids when camping.)

I'm in a different country, I don't recognize the language.

Somehow I have all of my memories from 'past' life.

I think I'm delusional, really insane, or just dreaming. Or maybe someone snuck drugs into my drink.

I don't know who the hell I 'am.' Or who I'm supposed to 'be.' (Like my new 'name.') I have a billion questions, and no answers. _(How am I supposed to go through another, boring, hard-working life over twice? What's the point in it? To carve another life with a happy family? How could I cope with this fact of being given a new life; without seeming freakishly smart? How was I going to convince my parents, that I had a mentality of a kid-when in reality I am a twenty-five year old woman?_ Did _I have to convince them at all? Could I tell any one who I was? –I immediately dismissed the last fact, I would go to the nut house if I ever told any one.-)_

I don't see how all of this is possible. Again. I think I'm crazy, on drugs, or dreaming.

I'm going to stick out like a sore thumb due to my "intelligence."

I had always prided myself on being a bit of a strategist, I knew how to make good plans, and I was a wicked chess player. I made a thousand plans, but rarely did I ever go through with them. I contemplated possibilities and decisions. Often my friends (my late friends) tended to think 'Backwards' far too much.

Or, I was just scatterbrained.

But being reborn really does fuck with your mind, I was slightly hysterical.

My teacher's always had a bad time with me, I was a hard-working student, but my "thought patterns" seemed to 'jump everywhere.' I couldn't count the millions of lectures that I received from the outlandish questions I would ask.

For instance, If my teacher was talking about Helium 3 (This does exist on the contrary to what most people think) then I'd ask how much diesel was needed to land on the moon to harvest it. It was jumpy. It made sense.

On the other hand, sometimes I tended to over think things way too much, and I made billions upon billions of plans regarding the future. But somewhere too complex, when they really could be simple, sometimes, I myself would get trapped in my plans with no way out. At the same time it was unpredictable, a new thought process.

It was a double edged sword really.

It was because of this, I rarely followed through with any kind of strategy I made. Most were to complex, to unpredictable for even me to tall where it was going. I loathed myself for being so incompetent. I came off as lazy, but I was afraid my plans weren't always the best way to go about things.

Unconfident.

I never made friends easily. I could never keep them for long, but I was amazing at manipulating them. Something that I'm not really proud of, but when I was in trouble, or someone else was, it was pretty nifty, having a silver tongue. I shook my head, clearing my brain with my thoughts, I didn't need this now, I didn't need my deep self-hate coating my judgment on my situation. Which I needed to stick to the matter at hand.

_I was really a Heaven Reject_, I gurgled at the thought. Heaven didn't want me, Hell didn't want me, so now the living is stuck with me. Again. I felt sorry for the poor family that birthed me. I'd be a riot to take care of. I may have had decent grades while I was in school, but I was a devil (and an idiot) when I was a kid. At least…for the most part.

Sighing, I used my flabby baby muscles and the walls of my baby hospital bed to prop myself into a sitting position. (On the contrary, this _is_ possible for a newborn baby. My daughter sat up the day she was born and looked around. Supported her head and upper body with her arms and everything. Yes, I saw it.) I tried to use my underdeveloped eyes to take a look around but anything three feet away from me became one huge blob of a blur. _I need to find out where I am, and I need to learn to communicate. _That is the first task I classed myself with. The language sounded diced up, like slicing up apples and putting them through a cheese grater. Yet sometimes the chatting voices around me were happy and peppy. (Unlike the sobbing newborns.)

Not knowing this language was actually part blessing, it would seem like I was a clueless babe. So in one way, it was a mercy-in a way. (_Fucking hell on the other-Samantha_!)On the other hand I really didn't have anyone to mark my progress by, so I wouldn't know If I was learning at a rapid pace or not.

Samantha had a speech problem when she was little, actually it wasn't a speech problem at all, she just wouldn't speak. Finally, when she was four I took her to a speech therapist during the summer which had her talking come fall. So comparing myself to her, I really didn't know the time I was supposed to be 'talking' (_My baby-oh my god. Oh my god. Where is she? Wheresmybabywheresmybabywheresmybaby_?)

A figure shifted and moved to my bed with a gasp, a feminine voice exclaimed something and set me down on my back again. I cried out in indignation, I hated being manhandled! …_Babyhandled_! I was comfortable where I was, I was able to see possible coming enemies if they did! She ruined my (slightly difficult) work! Was this what Samantha felt like as a child? (Unless my daughter was also a reincarnated Single Mother from across the state.)

A distant thought snickered across my mind-a baby thinking about their own child was really strange. Samantha was technically about five years my senior right now, though mentally I was older, and to add to that thought, I was her mother. _Weird._

I wonder what Samantha would do if she saw her mother now?

I didn't want to ponder those options.

I didn't protest much to being _babyhandled_, I knew the true humiliation would come when my diapers needed a changing. My mouth pulled to a grimace, and I'd probably drool and throw-up uncontrollably too. Just lovely.

I spent most of my time in the hospital, being cleaned, fed, weighed, and checked out to see if I was healthy. I didn't cry, though I squirmed when they blew air in my face and tweaked my toes.

Finally when my 'mother' and 'father' picked me up to go outside, I finally saw their faces clearly for the first time, both had black hair and onyx eyes, in some ways they could look like brother and sister, but the way they both held me and talked to one another pointed to a different option. I supposed I also had the same features, I studied them closely. My "father's" face seemed to be set in a permanent scowl and his eyebrows pulled over like a mudslide over his eyes. My "mother" looked soft and kind with a small smile and a gentle swing in her arms. (This was another big hint to where I was!)

Complete opposites, yet closely similar to that boy I saw on the first day, I wondered if he was a relative. Maybe he was my "sibling" or "cousin." However if he was anyone else why would he be there?

That day was beautiful, there were a few aimless clouds patrolling the sky and everything seemed to sparkle. I noted the telephone lines, and electricity, however I couldn't see paved roads or and cars or vehicles at all. It was a small, tiny, village.

My other hint was when I spotted a large mountain that loomed off in the distance, I strained my eyes, I could hardly see that far away but it seemed as if there was something carved in the rock. I gave up after a minute of pure focus, my vision was still underdeveloped.

We entered a walled in complex with many houses lined on either side, several people stopped and peered over in my mother's arms to get a look at me, some stopped and assumed a conversation. In which I started picking up words like 'hello' 'how are you' 'your baby-.' I only got these because the 'hello' and 'how are you?' were repeated over and over, and 'your baby' and people would point to me and say two words before pinching my cheeks (That _hurt!_-I tell you! I shall seek vengeance! I'm not cute! I'm an ugly baby right now-not my respectable status as a grown woman-_when I get out of these diapers_...) My mother was the only one who really talked, my father just grunted and nodded a polite greeting while pulling a pissed off look.

I paused my thoughts, _wait_.

When had I started to think of them as my parents?

They were technically my parents now but…I had old parents… But I was reborn, I had a new set of parents, and an alibi if anyone asked where I was from. It was perfect really, if I was a criminal and wanted to hide my identity. (It would make a good Sci-Fi movie wouldn't you think?) But I couldn't mention anything from my past life, though I could call upon the wisdom I gained from it. I couldn't ever open up to someone on who I really was. This fact was slightly depressing for me. Well, I could tell people, but I'm pretty sure I'd be shipped to the nuthouse. I was alone.

_Alone_.

I could find my family now, couldn't I? It was actually a bit of a blessing then, dying. Sure, I hated that I died in the first place, but if I couldn't be a mother I could be a surrogate sister to Samantha now then couldn't I? I was still alive-if my breathing was an indication.

The other thing was that I had to find out where I was, there were a lot of colorful people around. I couldn't see past three feet, yes, but I saw people with purple hair (it looked well surprisingly though, like a good hair-dye.) But they had the strangest clothes, like they were all wearing track suits with little green vests (maybe there was a triathlon going on today which is why everyone had thee green vest like things?) Then they had these bandages around their thighs.

This confused me.

Were they all…injured in the same place? Or-maybe-they were doing a triathlon for knee/leg cancer! A little part of my heart warmed when I twitched my right baby leg-_I have my leg back_. (Losing a limb wasn't the worst thing ever in the world. But it was still traumatizing.)

It was honestly amazing what excuses the human mind could come up with to desensitize the truth.

This new life was…mystical. Perhaps I was living in a dream, or a comatose state-I thought to myself sometimes. This could hardly be real, but I felt the sting of cold air, the pain of birth…(_awkward_.) The warmth of a blanket, the rocking of strong arms, the wisps of tickling wind, a energy floating in the air around me.

Somehow, I didn't think it was a dream.

It was some kind of answer that was just buried inside of me, _I didn't think it was a dream._

But on the other hand- how can this possibly be reality?

It was too good to be true, yet to horrible to identify.

How could me-Single Mother/Sidekick Secretary really be transported, warped and shoved into a different person's life? Did I accidentally steal this person's life? Did I kill them? Did I deny them happiness? I had lost my family and loved ones in one fell swoop, but I had gained another in return. Could I come to love this family like my own?

It felt like it was a stab to my soul, I didn't mean to be reincarnated. I wouldn't murder someone on purpose just so I could live. I wasn't that kind of person. Not at all. I knew-if possible-some sicko would take a baby's life for extra years but that w_as not _me. I was a mother (could you tell I am proud of it? It's a hard job) and I _loved _kids. IT was my time to die-not the child's that I might have killed. I felt wholly horrible, as I took the blame, tears and snot poured down my face silently. _I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry. _My new mother tried to calm me but I thrashed in her arms away from her hands.

My parents finally walked into the house, and took off their sandal-shoes, my mother was humming to me, trying to calm me down from my little pity party.

But another hint came when I inspected a symbol on the back of my Father's shirt, it was a red and white fan. A red crest on the top and an wide lollipop on the bottom.

The first thing I'll say is that it looked so god-damned familiar, but I couldn't place it. I bite my lip as my new father assumed a conversation of sorts with my mother. She took me too the same boy I had seen from the hospital, he _must be a brother then_. He was reading from a strange scroll thing, (who reads from scrolls anyway?) pouring over it, but he broke his eyes away when he saw his mother and his mouth turned up at the sight of me (of course it was still blurry.) I grinned back, when I was small, my sister and I hardly fought, it was strange and unusual but she meant the world to me at one time. _Before_… I would've done anything for her, my little sister. I wondered if my newly appointed brother would feel the same way I did, the same courage to protect me. A greedy part of me whispered that it would be nice being taken care of instead of taking care of other people. I shoved the thought away, I was passed to his arms happily. My thoughts drifted back to the strange thing he was reading, since when had I seen a scroll in my life? (The only one I could think of was in museums. Or some calligraphy contest.)

The other thing I can't think of is that this boy was really young, like four or five (disregarding my age is about zero right now.) What kid would sit inside and read? Shouldn't he be playing and making an idiot of himself?

Then again if he was doing that I doubted our parents would leave us in the same room together alone.

I stretched my neck over my blanket to try to peered down at the writing on the scroll, hoping to somehow recognize the language-I didn't recognize the spoken and I was an avid reader in my past life. The scroll was soon covered by the boys smiling face. I jerked back in surprised, I hadn't heard him move! But I bounced my head when I thought that maybe my hearing wasn't all that developed yet. He let off a small laugh at my startled look and held me close, I relaxed once again into his warmth. This…was nice. In a way I wondered if I had ever been held like this in my past life, if I was some beautiful creature as delicate as a butterfly by my mother, father…brother.

Energy pooled in my stomach as I snuggled in close, my head pounded with happiness.

_I was loved. _

No.

Wait.

This _child _was loved. _Not me_. My happy mood shot to a depressed one.

His mother left the room and he held me in his arms, cooing softly at me. Once again my body betrayed me and I relaxed, with a slight silly smile on my face. He started reading aloud what ever scribbles were on his scroll and of course I didn't recognize it at all. I snuggled into his arms and drifted off to sleep.

When I awoke my family had company, I was introduced to a woman with blood-red hair (that reminded me of a cherry or an apple) and a man whose eyes reminded me of an ocean wave they both bent down their faces close to mine to be introduced. (If I had been my true age that man would be-_yum_! But alas-I was a tiny baby.) The woman made faces, trying to get me to giggle (I smiled in my best, polite manner) while the new and (sexy) man cradled me in his arms with a grin, it was like an introduction of sorts. Then he handed me off to my brother.

Were they also family?

I compared them to my mother and father, they looked nothing alike at all, could they possibly be my god-parents? I studied them closely, the red-haired was always grinning and quite loud and the man seemed polite yet relaxed. In a way he seemed to be arrogant-_no, there's a difference between arrogance and confidence.-_Confident then. Of what, I had no clue. They stayed for dinner, my mother and the red-haired woman chatting feverishly on some subject I couldn't yet understand.

The red haired woman kept gesturing to her own protruded stomach, holding an expected baby, all the while looking nervous about it. While my mother just nodded with a grin and explained something to her that I could not process. (Once again.) But it had to do with pregnancy, in my guess the flame hued woman was probably asking for advice on how to take care of youngsters (heh, I could explain a thing or two.)

My father and the blonde haired male also struck up a conversation, but I could tell it was more serious than my mother's one. The blond male pulled out a map and pointed to a little map of a forest area, then he swept his hand around gesturing something. My father nodded and pointed a few different positions in the map seriously, and pulled a concentrated expression. Sometimes the conversations merged as one, and some separated. Sometimes the red haired woman would try to jog my brother into the conversation, his tone was different than the one he used with me, he was quiet, polite and quite mannered.

I was frustrated with this fact, I didn't know these people, and I didn't know what they were saying. They could be planning world domination for all I knew and I would be a complete fool of it.

I looked up into my kid brother's eyes and pouted angrily, I was hungry.

Another hint was when I was getting changed by my mother. I fussed and huffed, embarrassed that I had to endure this mental torture. I was a twenty-five year old woman for god's sake-and I was in diapers!

That sounded really, really embarrassing.

My mind was having a civil war with the body. The body would cry out and thrash whenever it was hungry, it would respond to loud noises and I would cry uncontrollably. No matter how I tried to stop it, it happened. The body just did what it did and wrote over my mind system. If it wanted to poop, it pooped, I had no control over my bowels at all.

I tried to calm myself, everyone at this stage had to have (to put it in pleasantries) their shit taken care of. (Literally) So no one would think anything of it that I had to be changed around the clock, in fact, if I resisted people would then think I'm a strange child (I always will be one.)

So, I was screwed either way.

But still, humiliating. I came up with a humorous theory that human's deeply suppressed these memories just because they were just _that_ horrible.

Never the less, I pointed my nose up and looked away while she unwrapped me and wiped me clean each and every time.

It was all going as planned until I felt like something was off.

I don't know how to explain it other than this; when you've lived as a woman for twenty-five years you know what your feminine wiles are like.

So when I gathered my courage, I chanced a peek down as my mother was wrapping me up in my normal cloth diaper (_who uses those anymore anyway? They're so messy and expensive_!) I proceeded then to suck all the oxygen out of the room.

This was simply not possible!

_I had a penis._

_I had a baby penis. _

I freaked and reflexively looked around for a knife to cut it off, then paused. No, I wasn't becoming an unich below a year old.

I screamed. Loudly.

When I had been reincarnated, I didn't dwell on the possibility that I may have had a different gender. It just didn't occur to me that I may not be a girl.

No more dresses or dolls. No more acting all cute and cuddly (when had I acted 'cuddly'?) Point is, I couldn't flirt with the boys. No more going on dates with boys (unless I decided to be somewhat gay in this body. Or transgendered. I don't know. Hell, I don't know what to call a woman-suddenly reincarnated-into a little _boy-_squelch.- While I never had a problem with gay and bisexual people back in my world, I knew it just wasn't right for me either. I wasn't being offensive, it just wasn't me period.

Then I realized something with horror, I was a _TWENTY-FIVE_ old _woman_ stuck in a _BABY_ a few _WEEKS_ old.

Even if I did find someone, I would be a _pedophile. _I wouldn't be able to have any future partner-husband-wife-_anyway because they'd be two decades too young!_

Why did potential partners come to mind anyway?

_Because you're a pervert. _A small part of my mind whispered.

_I'm so screwed. I'm so dead._

I didn't even think of the consequences, yeah I could suck it up and deal as a boy. Back in my old life most of my friends were guys. I could fit in as one of them anytime.

But I knew practically nothing about them considering puberty and growing up. I didn't know how they reacted-_how would I react_-to testosterone? Would I be more hot-headed? (god-forbid) I knew the hormone made you more aggressive and hot-blooded.

On the down side I would have to deal with random erections. (That my guy friends used to complain/brag about) In my case this wouldn't be pleasant, I always had tuned out to those conversations and I hadn't really ever question how to Deal with a Dick. I also could never get pregnant (if I DO settle down, pedophile and all. Pregnancy was a wonderful-hormonal-thing I wouldn't mind experiencing again.) If anyone found out I'd be arrested for that however. Therefore, my new mission was to deflect any possibility of any attraction to me whatsoever in the future. I couldn't act to sensitive or insensitive, which could be good and bad. I couldn't be overly sensitive, I'd come off as weak-and I couldn't come off as insensitive because…Well I just wasn't.

On the up side, I'd never have to deal with an insufferable menstrual cycle again. Or formally, Cramps of Hell. No more serious mood swings and gossiping girls. No more bras (that was going to take some getting used to-I was used to my chest bound while boys went shirtless…) I could swear as much as I wanted without serious reprimand that I should be a "polite young lady." I also knew my body would grow differently, on the plus side, I would grow more muscles and could possibly become quite lean-and-mean sports machine. I loved athletics, I loved running and swimming, loved playing volleyball, soccer, and basketball. Loved rolling in the dirt with football. I craved exercise in my life, in fact, I needed it.

It was pretty much even.

Didn't stop me from flipping my shit anyway.

My poor mother didn't have a clue.

…

I didn't start picking up on the language until almost three months later, though I hadn't turned to speaking yet. My vocal cords weren't fully developed, but I could do sounds of pleasure (like 'yay!' or 'Ew,' or 'what the fuck?') but I wasn't sure if these sounds were fully understood.

Some words I couldn't recognize still, but I made the best of what I had. I had picked up on writing much faster than the speaking language-because I noticed they did nothave an alphabet ("oh boy, I'm so fucked. Damn Asian languages.") but I kept my practices hidden (poorly though, as I stuffed the paper in tissues and wads of toilet paper then tossed them into the garbage.) Looking back I think I did so well at it because I had an impressionable mind, yes I had my own opinions being an adult woman but my brain was just finishing developing-a lot of stem cells floating around and whatnot, that is why I think I learned a lot quicker than if I were really an adult. My brain at that age soaked up information like a sponge, and children stopped that rapid learning by age four.

I didn't want to be seen as some freakishly smart child, I didn't even want to know how'd they react. They might be the parents to plaster how smart their child was over the news, and I was an adult now-I didn't want the same attention I wanted as a teenager.

I kept spilling ink all over the ground, pretending that I had been 'playing' with them, to cover the ink stains all over my hands. Sometimes I'd smudge it all around my crib and the desk, and my parents kept wondering how the hell I kept getting out of the damn cage.

I let them wonder.

I hid a few ink bottles when they retaliated and hid them all. They didn't have pencils here, only old fashioned ink pens and paintbrushes for calligraphy. (Which sucked, since I had unrecognizable handwriting.)

Learning to write, read and speak again was like therapy to me, it kept my mind off of my loss and rebirth.

But I had another thing to contemplate-babies (like myself now apparently)-weren't supposed to have neck muscles, or any muscle for that matter.

So how could I crawl at a young age of a couple weeks old?

My daughter had been a freakishly strong baby-she had sat right up after her birth and "glared" at the doctor (Something that I would have never let her live down-she was downright adorable and just by supporting her neck she gave the nurse a heart attack.)

Perhaps I had that "Freakishly strong strength" too.

But then there was the other thing, about one week into my new life-which I had been forced to believe was really real-I had felt this new type of swirling energy fermenting from my core. I could kind of bend it if I was tired and it was like caffeine via _ba_by.

I called it "willpower" because god damn if, if I wanted to wriggle my way out of the crib, I'd do it damn it.

I was that stubborn.

Or stupid.

I realized long ago that the writing was really similar to Japanese, but considering I had never learned the language, I wasn't sure. I only recognized it from the _countless_ manga I had read in my High-school and college years, but other than that I felt like I was living in some Japanese Amish area. (Yes, you heard me, _Japanese Amish_.)

That meant no TV's no cell phones, no electronics, no videogames, hell to no electricity other than running water and light bulbs. I figured it must've been against their religion or something.

Cause other than some islands there weren't many countries that had such low tech.

They had a lot of weapons, but old ones, no guns or rifles, I meant odd shapes knifes and throwing stars. I joking suspected I had a secret kickass ninja family, they wore robes and meditated like there was no tomorrow. Yeah! I'm going to be so goddamn kickass, channeling my inner ninja you know?

Nah, they were just collector's man-I never saw them use them anyway.

In order to keep up the surprise that I knew their secret past time was really dressing up as a Hollywood superstar- I chewed on my family's fingers. (Teething hurt like a bitch and I won't say anything more about it. It was horrendously disgusting because my gums kept bleeding.) CANNIBAL RAWR. (Kesha, anyone?)

Another "secret kickass ninja theory" was that my new brother who was only _four years older than I _could sit still and _meditate_, that was an hefty accomplishment for a four-year-old. (Now only imagine what it could be like if he was meditating next to a whining baby, I could be quite annoying, heh heh.) But when I was a kid I distinctly remember children screaming like their head was cut off and falling off slides and breaking both arms in a tug-o-war on the bars.

.

.

.

Okay, fine that was me.

My brother's name was _Eeha_ (As I pronounced it slowly, rolling his name around my tongue. It was pretty funny for me, and something in his eyes seemed to melt when I tried to say his name, (it was my first word, after all.) I was pretty sure it was pronounced a little off as it was sharper when my parents spoke his name-but I was controlling my mouth and learning pretty fast. I could make only a few unintellectual sounds but my parents were delighted, I was pretty "advanced" for my new age.

The fountain of youth has nothing on me.

I winced, perhaps I couldn't help but show some of my progress. As long as I didn't show all.

But my brother played with me, he bought me a large green dinosaur (it was adorable, so now along with the fact my brother seemed to admit that weird, calming energy-he gave me a cute toy for me to test my gums on. Best older brother ever.) while my father gave me rubber throwing stars. I sweat dropped at that, who'd give their three month old child a weapon? No matter if it's rubber..._And I thought I was a neglectful parent. _

But _Eeha_ showed me how to hold them without poking my eye out.

My mother would hold me (and sometimes, my father) and she'd rock and read to me all kinds of books. Then she'd change me, rock me again and sing to me. Then she'd put me in the crib for the night-unless my body started to go haywire because my bowels decided to drop by and say "hi."

But it was nice, having someone was taking care of me, instead of the other way around.

Eeha wasn't around often but when he was his sole attention was on me, and I loved it. I was deprived in my past as a child so I lapped it up like a cat to milk. I wanted to see more of him and curl up next to him at night. Though, often my mother would do this (god bless her heart.) My father, never.

Always had an excuse.

So I made it a point to embarrass him by "high fiving" his cheek, crying, chewing on his fingers, pooping, biting, smiling, laughing, or spitting up puke on him.

I would so be the best daughter-_son_ ever.

It was awesome to get a rise of pink cheeks out of him.

Currently my brother had me enwrapped in his arms sitting outside on the porch gazing into the sky.

It was sunset, mother and father were out somewhere-I certainly didn't know where since I was peacefully drifting in the oblivion of sleep, but I knew if I opened my eyes my brother would be smiling down at me.

Then, _evil_ crushed my perfect world.

I felt like my heart was being ripped out of my chest, I felt like something was going to tear the flesh from my body and melt my bones, I felt like I was going to be devoured-torn apart, tortured, raped, murdered violently-my death over and over a thousand different ways. I felt I saw everyone I ever loved being massacred, and ripped to shreds before my very eyes. I felt like I was drowning in this feeling-something that replaced my brother's warm safe arms and enwrapped me in it's malicious clutches and plunged me into the ice cold hands of fear.

_PainfearpainpainpainI'mgoingtodiehelpmepleasepainf earpainevilevilevilpainpainpainmercyhelpmeI'mgoing todiehelphelphelppainpainpain_

It wasn't physically hurtful, though you could have fooled me. It was more like an aura, or energy. Whatever it was-craved death, destruction, and despair. I squirmed and let out a fierce cry,

"What is that feeling…?" My brother looked towards the village, his raven brows furrowed in worry.

I cried and clawed out terrified, when I was useless like this I would be no help to anyone. I couldn't even flee for myself. I _couldn't do anything. _I was so useless, I couldn't flee, I couldn't protect. I could just wait like a cow being led to slaughter.

I looked off into the distance and my eyes widened, I felt grateful yet panicked at the same time I could see this threat with the new developments in my eyes. There was a ginormous orange nine tailed _monster_ that crushed homes and leveled forests with in its massive size. My heart jumped to my throat and I let loose another terrified yell.

That was no ordinary monster. No ordinary being, no sir no sir no sir

Worse, I recognized it from a particular manga I used to read in high-school.

_The Nine-Tailed fox._

No way. No way. No _way_.

This can't be happening. This can't be true.

I didn't believe it, I couldn't believe it all this time. _All this time I-I was in…!_

"Don't cry, Sasuke." The boy smiled and held me closer as he stood from his seat, "As your big brother, I'll always protect you. No matter what." I paled massively at the heavy meaning of this statement.

I was somehow transported into a new dimension which happened to be the world of _Naruto._

I was born into the _Uchiha_ clan.

My brother is Uchiha_ Itachi._

I am infamous _Sasuke Uchiha._

Fuck.

* * *

Kelly Anderson has been reincarnated as Sasuke Uchiha.

Wow.

I'm a little shocked myself,

Thank you for the reviews my lovely readers-

Another thing I just wanted to mention, I will depict Kelly as being a teenage single mom, she's really proud of that accomplisment. But ultimately, I'm not a mom, so if I'm being too obsessive about the parenthood thing...All I know if that I babysit all the time, and take care of the youngsters in my family, I'm often good with kids so...yeah...That's my reasoning.

So I have a question for you all, What would you do differently(or similarly) if YOU were Sasuke Uchiha?

Now that's a long list.

x+y+reviews=Love

~Impar


	3. Brother (Revised)

Chapter 3:

_"Death is not sad._

_The sad thing is that most people don't live at all."_

_-Peaceful warrior_

I was somehow transported into a new dimension which happened to be the world of _Naruto._

I was born into the _Uchiha_ clan.

My brother is Uchiha_ Itachi._

I am _Sasuke Uchiha_.

Fuck.

My mind went into overdrive. _The red and white fan. Itachi's face. The red-haired woman-the blue eyed man! My 'mother' and my 'Father. 'The compound. The village. The carved faces in the mountain. The hiate headbands. The wooden toys. The steel weapons. The nine tailed fox was the one that jogged my memory!_

I was frozen. Petrified in time, and somewhere between spaces.

I did not cry, or scream, I did not lash out. All I registered was warm arms keeping me anchored to the earth. I wasn't just any male in anyplace, I wasn't just anybody.

_'I am Sasuke Uchiha.'_ I think I went into shock, because all I did was tremble for a while and fixated at a small point in the distance.

_This must be a dream. _There was no way in how, that a grown woman got stuck inside a male baby's body, _that happened to be Sasuke Uchiha _on accident. _'I don't believe in coincidences. '_

_'But-why?' _I couldn't think of how to get the real Sasuke back without killing him/myself.

I bit my lip and looked up at my new Aniki. '_Itachi. Uchiha. Is. My. Brother!'_

_'Holy crap.' _Images of the infamous Clan-Killer sneaked across my head.

I'm going to die.

I had just been reborn-and I was going to die.

Itachi Uchiha will murder his own clan for the sake of the village, and take leave to the Akatsuki in a few years, a double agent for the Hidden Leaf. He murdered his entire family, save his brother, because they were planning a coup that would have brought another war down upon Konoha. He was killed by his brother in his brother's quest for revenge of said massacre.

'Itachi loves his brother. And you've died once. This is the first thing you worry about?' A voice spoke from somewhere in the back of my skull.

_'Uhm, because I wasn't sent to hell? I'm afraid to die again? I…shouldn't be. Sometimes I'm not afraid but, I am. I am afraid to delve into the maddening darkness. I'm afraid to be reborn again for a second time.'_

_'_Coward!' The voice hissed

'_You blame me for being human? We are all afraid.'_

'You don't look beyond yourself. You know who you are now, you have to step up to responsibility sometime, idiot. Just by being you, you will cause ripples in the tides of destiny. Don't fight it.'

'_But_…'

'You've died once! There are bigger things than death now, pull yourself together. Or you will _not_ survive. This kind of reincarnation never happens a second time, you have no reason to be afraid of _true_ death.'

_'If I'm going to be stuck in this world, I'm going to change a few things.' _ I said with a final confidence. '

'What are you going to do?'

_'I could change everything, or I could kill myself-get it over with. My death might distract my father from the rebellion.'_

'That won't stop them for long, you coward. I thought you could come up with a better plan then that.'

Itachi was still staring at me with a confused face, in a last ditch attempt I whispered, "De-path."

"Depath?" Brother frowned, then smiled a bit, "Did you just say your first word?"

I sweat dropped. But every other words that came out of my mouth sounded like gibberish.

_ 'Can I truly stop the Uchiha Massacre? The rebellion? Could I put an easy end to all of this?'_

'No.'

_'Can't I try?' _

'You're a young woman in a _baby's_ body, no one is going to listen to your two cents. Even if you _do_ know the future. You have no experience, no power-other than you are the Clan Head's _Second_ son, hence no worth in the Clans eyes. You're a child in Konoha and not even the Hokage will listen to you.'

_'I could prove myself, with the knowledge I have about him and the attack with the Nine-Tails. I could tell them all of it. '_

'Then be taken for instant questioning and torture? Be killed for the information you _do _know? Do you _think _Danzo would let t_his _slide? Especially, if you die, the Uchiha _will _revolt-you becoming a _martyr_- and there will either be war or a massacre of everyone.'

_'But I have to change something. I'm a key character, I could change so much! I could shift a better ending!'_

'It's interesting how you know this is real yet you refer to it as some cheap novel. You'll have to work from the shadows, and it'll be a lot of work-if you are willing to do it-coward.'

Itachi was looking into my eyes with an unreadable expression, "I'm not sure completely how infants work, but I do know that speaking at three months is pretty odd." He looked up at the sound of a large ringing in the middle of the village, "That's the warning bell! The village is under attack!"

'Because, you're going to need to be faster than the previous Sasuke, you're going to need to be _stronger. And if you change the future, won't you be changing who you fight as well?_ You could go against Madara, Tobi, Nagato _alone_ for instance. Consider it incentive then to change the future, if everything but out of fear. With your knowledge you can change many things._'_

_'Team Seven is why Sasuke is so influential. I need to be on it to get the best position if I'm going to be…well me.. Becoming Naruto's friend and Rival will put me in that position.' _

'Hn. So you are actually thinking.'

_'I-I…need to concentrate before I start scheming. Leave me alone.' _

He picked me up to walk through the compound, then he halted, staring wide eyed at the village, "So that's what they meant?" He muttered all too seriously. Then he started to run, my eyes couldn't see the direction, but he seemed to be head for safety. I was helpless in his arms, useless, and that scared me. My brother may have had clever plans for calming me down, but did I trust a toddler with my life against the Nine-Tailed monster? Secret answer to that was a **no**.

I was such a coward.

_'Who are you?''_

'Think of me as another personality.' The voice mentally drawled, bored.

'_Like Sakura's?' _I asked innocently with a hidden grin.

The voice seemed to grow agitated, 'No. Just say what you _really _need to say.'

'_I have a mean Inner!' _I pouted. Despite the fact that there were a whole bunch of Shinobi dying and I was being uncomfortably jostled in my older brother's grip. I had strange ways of dealing with stress.

I pouted up at him, he gave a wry grin, "I need to keep you safe somehow, Sasuke." He paused, at the entrance way to…some place I couldn't make out. "If worse come to worse I might have to leave you here, if anyone's in this place." I think he talked because it gave him reassurance to stand in place while Shinobi rushed towards the fight, and civilians ran away. He had to bend down to talk to me, and I think he did it to keep me from crying.

_'I just…'_ My voice suddenly became inflicted, I couldn't pull this off. I was ordinary. But the strange voice seemed to wait patiently for me to continue, _'I'm afraid, should I even become a shinobi?'_

'You _want _Orochimaru to slaughter you?'

_'Good point. But I'm not Sasuke Uchiha! '_

'Scaredy Cat. I thought you were stronger than this, I thought you were stronger. We just went through this, and I won't have the same conversation twice. Get yourself together, you are stuck.'

_'W-What's that supposed to-'_

The voice in my head seems to sigh, 'You've already shown you can be brave. You could easily use your means to become evil or insane with power. Or you could use them to help. But you have no choice to just sit it out. Remember, dumbass, the difference between a hero and shinobi-is that the 'hero' lasts five minutes longer.'

I was quiet for a while, as morbid as that was, it made me realize that I had already died once. I would again, no matter what. I could change the history of this world, something I couldn't do back in mine. _'Hey, Thanks'_

'Hgn.'

I smiled to myself then looked up at Itachi and beamed. I was going to become the best little brother _ever _to make the pain he'd go through a bit more _bearable. _

I started making plans.

Father mentioned mother being wounded, but not fatally.

He didn't say a word to us the rest of the night as he padded upstairs to take a shower to wash off all the blood. Mother was hospitalized for the next few nights, she had a couple of broken ribs. Father had a new scar across his forearm about as wide as my fist, it ran from his wrist to his elbow. But the scar was pink, newly healed. _A medic nin must've finished it up._

I knew if I had been anyone else in Naruto, I would've been a medic. I had always had a thrill for medicine, It always fascinated me. In my other life I had wanted to be a Doctor, but when Samantha was born I had no time to study at all. So I settled for a secretary, but being here, I could study medicine on the side of my training. It would be awfully useful.

But how could I study two things at once? I also knew from the anime that Sasuke didn't have that great of a chakra control.

_Kage Bushin? I could learn much quicker. Something that I should suggest to Naruto, if I ever see him._

Unless I started training early. An evil grin stretched across my face, that's right, I had an advantage over all this, _knowledge. Muhahaha._

_Fugaku, Sasuke's father dies around the time he was eight. He is also the head of the Clan, leader of the rebellion. _A beat later, _I want to know more about him. If I know more about him then won't I be able to help save him? _

_Or maybe I won't be able too at all. _That was a depressing thought.

Itachi's expression grew worried as he looked down at my scrunched expression, he held me tight to him, "What happened out there, Ototo?" He whispered and rocked me. "What's going on outside?"

I smiled back a bit sheepishly in return.

What was I supposed to say to that?

Not that I could speak that well anyway.

…

…

What I never understood is why Naruto didn't use the Kage Bushin to learn in the first place, everything would be so much more easier. I planned on learning it as soon as possible, supposedly the clones would transport everything they had seen or heard back to you.

What if I could create a bushin to train and study while I was off at the Academy? How many things would I learn while being in two-three places at the same time? Sure it was a dangerous technique and used a bunch of chakra but at school how much chakra was I going to use anyway. Plus me fighting me could strengthen up my taijutsu. I was excited, Sasuke was supposed to be adapt at taijutsu, he was supposed to be strong and fast. Now add chakra control like Tsunade's and wham you get a genius. I also contemplated on buying weights, like Rock Lee. I felt like I was almost cheating, I knew all this stuff, but was I ripping off the characters?

No. Not if I was helping them along. I could push them to train harder, faster, better. I could unite the Rookie 9 and start training them.

Then perhaps they wouldn't die this time around.

Then I thought about how immature they were, and discarded the idea.

That reminds me, I almost forgot-Naruto.

I'm supposed to be his best friend.

How the fuck am I going to pull that off?

If all of this is going to work, I need to be in his good gracious. (Which sounds a bit like a suck-up.)

Sasuke's and Naruto's relationship sprung from loneliness. Sasuke had lost his clan, while Naruto was alone from the beginning. I remember Naruto saying something that he wasn't the only one alone in the village.

When Sasuke's clan was massacred.

Fuck. The Uchiha's really screwed themselves over didn't they?

The from their loneliness sprung a rivalry. This rivalry pushed them to new leaps and bounds, essential to their learning. If I was going to be his best friend I'd need to be his rival too, (Though I suppose it wouldn't be that hard, you see I got a bit jealous when others were better than me at something and if they were I pushed myself to get it. Yeah, I was greedy. I was human.) So that wouldn't be that bad.

But another bond sprung from that loneliness, and rivalry. Comradeship. They became teammates, brothers.

Could I really recreate that? A different way?

I rubbed my forehead with a large fist, so much to do, so little time.

…

When I first tried to mold and play with my chakra I was expecting to simply grab a hold of it and hone my skills nicely.

But as proven, someone up there hated me.

I concentrated, feeling the low hum of energy running through my veins. The best way I could describe Chakra was like my blood was humming a song. Or like there was a million tiny energizer bunnies beneath my skin, it felt addicting. Hot, like a pot of soup, or sweet hot chocolate. It swirled around in my stomach and warmed my toes. It grappled my hands and snaked its way over my head. I could feel it everywhere.

I first tried to mentally grab a hold of it and pull. I expected spectacular results, like supreme chakra control. Something I could see. But it slipped away like water on wood.

I frowned in my crib, I tried again. My chakra eluded me and danced away from my fingertips. More desperate I grabbed at it fast and greedily.

To my surprise I caught it, but my surprise soon rebounded and my own chakra turned on me. It lashed out at me giving me a splitting migraine. I cried out in surprise, indignation, and pain. Without my consent tears rolled down my cheeks as I writhed.

Then I passed out from the pain.

When I awoke I was in my brother's arms, he was rocking me softly with a bottle of formula in his hands. He held it too my lips softly, "What were you doing, Ototo?" He questioned me softly. I closed my eyes at my stupidity, when I reached out with my chakra to grab a hold of it, I was stretching my limits. I couldn't bring my chakra out of my body-yet. But through lots of meditation and chakra control, I could regulate it throughout my body. I wouldn't be able to do jutsu for a long time, a few years even. I was foolish to think otherwise.

Everything couldn't fall in place so easily, I had to develop, like a normal child too. Not think of myself as some lady, I was really a child. My body was expected to behave that way.

I suspected I didn't do as much damage as I could've, it could've been much worse. I could still feel me chakra boiling beneath my veins, abet agitated. But it was fine, it would fade over time, I knew.

Now I just snuggled into my older brother, I felt sad for Itachi. I wouldn't never fully comprehend what he would go through; though I know I would do the same thing as him if I was ever in his place.

Itachi was one of the best people I would ever come to know.

I loved him.

Extra: My Brother Caught My Slip Up

"Death may be final,

But the love we share while living is eternal."

-Don Williams Jr.

The sun in my room was just peeking over the horizon and I knew that soon I'd need to climb back into my hazardless crib. I was pouring over another scroll trying to teach myself this odd language. I tried copying the elegant figures as best as I could, the scroll, from what I could decipher was talking about spiritual energy and mind energy. How to activate mind and spirit energy as one, it was a fascinating concept, something that reminded me of 'The Secret' or ''The Universe' from my life. Two very good books.

The problem to getting up to my crib was the climbing, there was a bookcase next the crib where I'd have to stand on some piled books, the shimmy up on my belly till I was at the second wrack the swing myself over clumsily into my crib. It wasn't elegant at all, and I promised myself not to apply to be an escape artist anytime soon. Though I wonder how many 10 week old babies could pull something like this off.

I'd be a world record baby! I grinned, amused, and I hoisted myself up. But then something strange happened, the door opened. My brother and I stood staring shocked at the other, the outstretched hand grappling for a book slipped and I let out a yelp as my small body started to tip back. Completely panicking, thinking I was going to crack my head open I screamed a childish, "I-ta-he!" As loud as my lungs produced, my brother dived for me and caught me and inch off the floor.

I breathed in a sigh of relief not realizing the look flickering on my brother's face. "You're smarted then everyone has taken you for, aren't you Ototo?" He whispered as he stroked my hair. I froze, inside I was hitting myself for my stupidity. On the outside I buried my face deep into the fabric of his shirt and cried, trying to retain that look of a kid.

I-ta-he chuckled at my antics, "Sssh, it's alright, you're big brother's here." He crowned in my ear. Like always he seemed to have this magic of calming me down from my highs. I-ha-he looked over at the collapsed books piled on the ground, "Here we all thought you made your messes in the day, not at night." His obsidian eyes unconsciously studied the scene before turning back to me and giving a small smile.

Then he came to a conclusion and flecks of shock flickered in his eyes, he looked down at me, "You're trying to read aren't you?" I grinned sheepishly, must my brother be so analytical?

So all I said was "I-ha-he!" and stretch my fist out towards his face. Gripping his nose I tried to take his attention off the matter, I squeezed and he continued as if I wasn't pinching his nose. His eyes widened, "M-My name-?"

_Yes, your name kid._

On one hand he could mark this as more suspicious behavior, on the other he could be excited that his brother's first word was his name and completely forget my remarkable intelligence.

I-ta-hi softened, and resumed stroking my head, he set up in a corner of the room, and propped against the couch, I was still in his arms. "You are going to be smart and strong. Your opponents shall fear your name and cower in your presence." I sweat dropped, was I some sort of knight or something? "You will one day grow stronger then I, and you'll take the world by storm, little brother." I-ta-he patted my back and I burped, then smothered a giggle, strong huh? What was he talking about anyways?

"But just what are you hiding Ototo?"

I stopped, then lowered my head, defeated. Why am I stuck with a genius brother? Couldn't anything slide?

I looked toward the door way then back at I-ta-hi significantly, his eyes widened, "You can understand me?"

Well, shit. I frowned, that backfired, I am just letting all my secrets out today aren't I? I'm an idiot.

So I pulled out my last Ace in the hole, I summoned upon the Slobber Affect, the mission to smother the brother's shoulder in saliva! I smeared my mouth across his blue yukata with an inner grin, and if he ever found out I was doing this on purpose…I'd be buried alive.

My brother stared at me, shocked. Then his shoulders started to shake and I looked at his face worried, I had hurt him or something, but his head was thrown back and he was laughing. Loudly too.

Most of my brother's laughs were silent or very _very_ soft. I could hardly hear them, even when I was in his arms. But when he was completely taken off guard this was one of the rare times I got to see him laugh out loud. It made a silly little grin appear on my face. I loved my Aniki this way.

"I'm sorry, Ototo!" He chuckled, "All this training about how to be suspicious and thoughtful, I didn't mean to single you out." He shook his head at himself and cuddled me closer.

_Whew_. That was a close one.

...

Redone, revised!

Itachi is a little out of character, I think. But here he is not a shinobi as of yet, so for him to be childish seems like the right fit for me.

Also, does anyone want to volunteer to beta this story? I'm currently looking for one!

Hope you enjoyed! Please leave comments, questions or reviews beloww~! Until next time readers,


	4. Thinking of Ninja

Chapter 4:

Itachi was always with me, or he was training. A small part of me protested, a four year old was being pushed to his limits and he wasn't an adult. Wasn't trained yet shoved into the world of war time. But the mature part realized that in the Shinobi world they didn't care, you could be a toddler, and still be a killing machine.

It sickened me deeply, but this was a different world. A different policy and different rules, It was like going to a foreign country. I had to accept their customs, their history was completely different from mine, their language, their food (which a small part of me found disgusting, being American you didn't eat seaweed often. Nor any of some weird fruits and vegetables. I missed the memories of a good burger and a milk shake. I vowed to introduce them to the wonders of fattening food.) But even their _manners_, the way you treat the opposite sex-it was all so _different. _The suffixes on the names I learned, but judging what suffix should go on who was confusing. But I had to adapt, like a polar bear stuck in the desert. Adapt or die. _Get_ harder, _get_ tougher, _get_ stronger if I wanted to pull this off. It was a definitely a dog eat dog world, or, in this case, Shinobi-eat-Shinobi.

I often compared this world to my last ones; kunai to guns, dango to brownies, chakra to machines, games of ninja to hide and seek. It was different, I often wondered who would win, if both worlds ever got in a war. After some thinking I came to a conclusion; _mine. _If our worlds went to war, we'd win for a very simple reason: _We possessed the Intel. _We _knew _about them, sure, we didn't think they were actually _real, _but on some strange dimensional plain they _must-_I was here wasn't I? The ninja's didn't know _anything _about our world. Sure, they had chakra, alone they would decimate us. But together we could put our thick skulls together and battle them with our advanced weaponry. If it was a quick war, we'd have a fair chance-but if it was a slow one then they could adapt to our advanced weapons. In that case, we'd lose.

_Damn, _a sudden thought crossed my mind, _Why couldn't I have been a Nara? _I laughed quietly too myself.

When I was old enough, spent most of my time reading, and learning to write, the sooner I could read the better. I could read all the books to train on my own. My parents always seemed to double take when they caught me with a book in my hands. My father had a proud gleam in his eyes, which always wanted me to push myself a little bit more.

But I held back as much as I could around him. I couldn't be a prodigy. I had to get on Team Seven, if it was the last thing I'd do. So I figured why I could read early, I'd pretend not to be able to do anything regarding an exercise. I pretended to trip everywhere, and be really clumsy with my hands. I'd drop plates, run into cupboards, knock over vases. My mother learned the hard way of putting anything breakable out of my reach, I could see my results working as my father stared at me, frustrated. MY brother would narrow his eyes at me, for some reason I could never fool him seriously. He always knew what I was up too. I loved and hated him for that.

At night I'd do exercises, like pacing around the room, clumsy push-up, sit ups and leg exercises. I would teetered around the room like a chicken with my head cut off, and with my newly deemed hair style, I guess I wasn't too far off. I'd also try climbing up everything in my room, for physical exercise, and my family would admonish how I got bruises from laying in my new bed all night. Oh, I had gotten I new bed, I was deemed a 'big boy' to get one, (this made me roll my eyes.)

I had also picked up two other things, now that I knew where I was, I knew there was chakra in me. Chakra had me excited, the whole concept seemed so outlandish and strange that I couldn't help but jitter with happiness. Because I knew who I was _I knew I had this chakra._ It had me doing mental cartwheels and hand springs. But I also knew it also could be dangerous if I messed it up so I meditated, every night before I went to sleep. I had meditated in my old life a lot, it helped me deal with my stress a lot and think about things calmly instead of breaking down into a sobbing mess. Though because I was so excited about the prospect of chakra it took me _weeks _to finally meditate.

When I meditated I fanned out a search for my chakra, I could feel a fire rushing through my veins. But I could never recognize the _source. _

So come my second birthday, I decided to ask my brother about it.

Itachi and I were sitting on the porch, _Oh, my lord I can't believe I'm sitting next to Itachi. My brother. _I thought in awe.

I had come to think of him as my brother lately. His face was always stoic, except for a few times when he'd smile and I would think reality would crack. Sometimes he'd ruffle my hair when I snuggled into him, or poke my forehead when I asked a silly question ("An-ki, hat this' hanji?" "Its not a kanji, it a picture, Ototo." "Oh." _Poke._) Other times he'd swing me on his back, my legs around his neck and he'd walk me around Konoha proudly. Sometimes I think he'd just show me off, but then he'd get a little possessive if anyone ever came to close and try to cuddle me. He wouldn't outwardly show it (no the _Itachi Uchiha _would _never _show that kind of emotion, he was too much of a _professional_.)

He was munching on a few sticks on Dango and looking off into the sunset. I was propped up in his lap sipping at a bottle of milk and crackers. I hummed thoughtfully, thinking of my 'training.'

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked running his fingers through my hair.

"An-ki, Vhat's hakra?" I still could hardly pronounce anything correctly, I was barely two years old. My parents had been pleased I was speaking so early, but my brother seemed almost sad about it. If I hadn't known he was a prodigy then I wouldn't have understood. Itachi thought I'd be more like him, he thought, I'd be pressured and conformed by the society to become a tool. I'd show him differently. I was going to outwardly act like a normal kid, with a large vocabulary. (The concept of me being dumb was so much of an insult that I had to tone down my anger.) On the other hand, Shinobi's were tools, though the Leaf village was a little strange with this concept, it followed it roughly. Shinobi's _were _tools to their leaders, one shinobi in hundred wouldn't _shouldn't _matter to them. Though, as stated the Leaf was a little strange. It counted shinobi as _people, _and to the shinobi who died the _Hokage _himself would talk to the families who lost their loved ones whenever he had a break. I didn't know the point behind it but I had a sneaky suspicion it was to either a) check up on the loyalty to the leaf, b) make the ninja feel as if their people, not tools, so they'd keep faith in their country, and c) to calculate who'd take their place. Perhaps it was cold for me to think that way, but it made more sense, yes the Sandamine was considered compassionate to most shinobi, but I also knew that under that was a highly calculating assassin. And Ninja's were _supposed _to be manipulative.

Itachi looked startled, then his eyes narrowed at me sadly, it was as if he didn't want me to learn. But I knew he just wanted me to keep my innocence, soon I'd 'realise' how good Itachi was, and he'd be afraid I wouldn't see him as 'Itachi' anymore, but instead of a goal I needed to overpass. But he'd always be just Itachi too me, "Chakra is a spiritual energy, you have spiritual and physical energy."

I had already used it of course, "Hon't you use ta for cool jutsu?"

My brother looked bemused, "Cool jutsu?"

"Yeah! I wanntta he hust like Niisan one pay!" I did too. I wanted to be just like Itachi, fiercely loyal, protective and loving. The single mistake he'd ever made was that he did it all alone, no one could fully do everything alone. I had to learn from this, I couldn't be alone in this forever. Or else I'd fail at whatever I tried to accomplish. I had to have friends.

"Just like me?" He had an inner spark in his eyes, something which I wanted to add fuel too, to see what it'd become. But at the same time there was a lingering sadness, which I just wanted to hug away.

"Yep!" I gave a wry grin and wrapped my arms around his torso, and he poked my forehead. I scrunched up my nose, sometimes when he did that it was kind of like silently reminding, _'Ha! I'm you're awesome big brother and I'm awesomer than __you!' _Seriously, it felt like he was mocking my child-ish-ness, I pouted.

A sick and weird part about all this was in my previous life, Itachi was my favorite character, along with Naruto, (I WASN'T a total fangirl. Okay. Maybe in the slightest bit.) But I had despised his brother deeply, for betraying his friends, Itachi betrayed his family to help his precious leaf and to protect Sasuke and urge him to be stronger, then Sasuke goes and tries to slaughter the Leaf. Where's the fucking logic? If my brother killed my family for my country-then I killed him-just to find out he did that-I would pause and think, well _gee_, maybe he loves both of us that much. So I'll protect the Leaf too, in his honor. _Not_ fucking go against his wishes and demolish them like a selfish bastard. Sasuke could only see himself in the mirror instead the reflection of the people who loved him, _maybe that's why I was reincarnated as him. You are reincarnated as things you hate. Damn it, this puts a whole new twist on reincarnation. The Fates are bastards. _

So as you could see it was awkward being a SLIGHT former fangirl to _someone who was now my brother._ If anyone found out I thought my brother was kind of hot, I would be stoned, and tied to the stake and burned. _Don't think about this right now. _I willed my mind to stop traveling down this line of thought.

"Chakra is in all living things, it is a part of life everywhere. Ninja do jutsu by concentrating their chakra then releasing it in the most common form of handsigns." Itachi explained.

_Easy enough for a kid to understand, I respect that. But I already knew all that. _"So pow would I do cool jut-hue like uo, An-ki?"

Itachi smiled a bit, "You're still young," He ruffled my hair, "You can't form jutsu yet, but you can meditate and stretch your chakra reserves if you really wanted too. When you're older Taijutsu and physical exercise will increase it as well." _Somehow he can understand my gibberish, what is his trick?_

I looked down, pretending to concentrate, then lifted both of my hands to his face cutely, "Peach me."

He poked my forehead, "Alright, Ototo. I'll teach you."

And thus Itachi sold his soul to the devil.

Now that I knew who exactly was my family I paid attention to all the little details. Like my mother had callused hands from the many times she threw kunai and shuriken. Scars ran across my father's arms and neck from the many battle wounds. If we had dango, my brother would hog almost all of it to himself, (my mother had to hide the rest so the family could have some) and he'd hide sweets in his room. (A couple times he tried to offer me some to be nice, but I turned it down. The only sweets I really liked was ice cream from my old world, even then I liked it because it was cold and creamy. Itachi was always flabbergasted at how I vigorously turned down sweets, but in my mind another reason is that I'd rather not fight him on it.)

It was peaceful, happy. If I was a baby myself I would never guess who they really were, what they were.

_'They…Killed people. 'And_ I was destined to kill too. But they killed for the sake of their home, which was noble, in a way. My pacifist side argued against me, but I understood that sometimes killing could be necessary. But still, _they killed people. _

This thought was still sinking in, I mean chakra was _cool _and training was almost…fun. But to go as far as _killing. _It was completely wrong to me, in my old world I had been brought up to resent murder. The people who did it, but the military, who protected our borders they killed because they _had too._ They did it to _protect us. _I wasn't stupid, nor naive, I knew other countries would kill a baby just because they were born on American soil. I knew it was tough for America's military, I had heard stories of third world countries sending _kids _out on the battlefield so their bodies would hit the ground before the men's. Just so the kids would be used as meat shields, _it was disgusting. _And I knew if it could happen there, it could happen here. I would have to deal with that, I wondered, would I have to kill kids if I had too?

Where was the ninja PSD? The trauma? Where was the bouts of insanity and lunacy? Perhaps different ninjas had different coping methods. From the series I recalled Kakashi reading his books, Gai being youthful, Tsundae being a drunk gambler, Jiraiya being a peeper, was this how they dealt? They messed up their images so no one would see how messed up they were inside? Would I grow a ridiculous coping method? They were all very talented, so maybe that's why, they had experience on _top _of having experience as a shinobi. They dealt with stress at almost inhuman levels, so they distracted themselves from it rather than be caught up in it. It gave them an almost _human _demeanor.

Maybe it was different, their customs were different they grew up in times of war, and I grew in times of peace, a civilians life. It would be difficult for me to accept this kind of killing.

Could I do it though?

Could I take a life?

'Cry-baby.' A voice sneered from the depths of my mind.

'_The return of the bastard Inner!'_ I said sarcastically in my head.

Had they ever killed in cold blood? I could understand fighting in battle, either you or them. I got that, too me, I could eventually deal with that. The military in my world had to do it all the time, and I respected their decisions wholly. But sometimes the Ninja world killed in cold blood, or torture people. You had to stiffen your emotions. I shivered, _could I really torture someone?_

'Some say that if you don't think about it, it's much easier.'

_'Should I ignore you?' _I sneered, '_Because life is life. All life is valuable, a gift.'_

'All life eventually dies. A lion kills an animal every day, will you forsake the lions meal simply because the other animal is alive?'

_'Well, no. But we aren't lions.'_

'But we're animals. We protect our 'territory' and anyone else who might invade it. It is natural, something you shouldn't think about.'

'_But so natural we have to kill, to maim, to torture?'_

'If the occasion calls, so be it. But you do not have to choose to kill every time, you don't have to maim every time, and neither torture. Only when it is necessary you may find that you do indeed have the strength and will to do these.'

'_Why did I end up with a wise crack asshole in my head?'_

'Someone needs to guide your idiocy, brat.'

'_Bastard_.'

'Fool.'

But could I really do that?

Could I really kill?

On the other hand they killed to protect their village, they all pushed each other too their extremes. In a way they were all hero's, fighting to protect their home. They were respectable.

But was I?

Extra: Pranking the Prodigy

-This will be in a short future, a few years later, like mentioned, this is an extra.-

"ITACHI-NIISAN!" I belly flopped on top of my sleeping brother. Who jumped up with a kunai in hand.

"Niisan?" Itachi looked down at my arms circled around his waist and back up at my face.

"You shocked me, Ototo." Itachi himself, sounded flabbergasted. Not even the students at school could sneak up on him! Perhaps his six-and-a-half-year old brother had because Itachi was used to his presence.

I grinned, _phase one complete. _

"Niisan! Will you train with me?"

Itachi poked my forehead, "Sorry, Ototo. Not today, maybe later."

I hid an evil smirk, a few weeks ago Itachi had been neglecting his promise to train me in the art of controlling chakra_ He would regret ever turning me down. Muhahaha! _I had improved a lot, I could generally concentrate my chakra to my hands and feet, and any part of my body. It wasn't perfect, but it was something. Itachi had also taught me in something else too, traps, he told me that if I was going to the training grounds with him, he didn't want me to get caught up in un-sprung traps. So he was teaching me how to recognize a trap and how to set a simple one up.

He'd regret ever teaching me how to do traps _then _abandoning my training.

From what I knew, Itachi became a genin at seven years old and the chunin at 10. When he was 13 he became an Anbu Captain. (Which is an accomplished feat of a genius. I admit.) He was going to grow up quick, so I had to savor child hood moments. I thought this could go in the embarrassing/childhood one.

But now Itachi was about to witness the demon his little brother could be.

"Are you sure you don't want to teach me today, Niisan?"

Itachi gave me a weird look, "I'm sorry Ototo, but I'm busy." He started to get changed and I turned around with a huff and a blush. I was in a boy's body but part of me was still a girl. Awkward as it was I couldn't squish the small part of ME that liked him (NOT the part that was Sasuke.) So I did the obvious solution in this given case. I ignored it, I knew it wouldn't amount to anything special, and as far as Itachi knew, I was his loving attached brother.

"Can I come to with you to the Academy?" Ever since I was…born here, I hadn't been out of the compound much, there was just no excuses too leave. The compound literally had everything, it had food, training grounds, a library, baths, even a lake (with a creaky dock) that the canon Sasuke used to practice his fireball jutsu's on. But sometimes, when I did go out, I had to be accompanied by an adult. It was annoying, I wanted to catch sight of some of the Konoha Eleven, or Kakashi (though he was probably still in Anbu right now) or the Hokage or something, or _Naruto_.

"Why?" My brother was smart enough to look suspicious.

"I'm going to be going there one day, aren't I, Aniki?" I asked with a sly tone.

Itachi arched a single brow, _how does he pull that off?_ "Yes but how does that relate to anything? You'll have your introduction to the Academy with all the other children your age."

I winced mentally, ouch, you hurt my pride, brother. "BUT ANIKI! I want to go with _you."_ I had to struggle to keep the pure evil seeping into my tone.

He stared at me and sighed, "Alright, you can come."

"Yay!" _This is going to be fun._

Itachi held me in a swapped blanket to keep me from getting cold, when he walked into the Academy it was like everyone was pulled to him and me. Boys and girls alike were cooeing at me. I grinned and licked it all up, "How old is your brother, Itachi-kun?" A girl with brown hair and purple eyes questioned with a perturbed grin, "He's just turned six." Itachi asked in almost a monotone, looking as if he was just going to abandon me here and book it.

I smiled cheekily and gripped his shirt, _in case he was going to book it,_ and they all awed again. Well they wouldn't do that once they found out my plans included them as well. In fact they'd try to murder me.

"Itachi, your brother better not cry during class!"

I spoke up, "I won't, sir! I pwomise! I was going to be outside anyway." Only Itachi noticed my change from Little Mature Sasuke to Chibi Cute Sasuke. The girls screamed with the cuteness. Itachi gave me a suspicious look, while I shot back a feral grin. He narrowed his eyes and my nose twitched with mirth. It was too late for him anyway, he'd sold his soul.

"Won't it be dangerous out there to wait for me, Ototo?" Itachi asked in a smooth monotone, only his eyes giving off his watchfulness.

"I'll be okay, Aniki!" I brushed my nose alongside his, nuzzling his face cutely "I want to go explore!"

He finally nodded and unwrapped me walking me back outside, "Just don't go outside the Academy grounds." The girls behind us squealed.

"Pwomise!" I held out my pinky to him, then he had no idea what to do, "You're supposed to do the same." I pouted, then when he held his pinky finger up I brightened and hooked my finger around his. "Now the pwomise won't be broken!"

He gave me an adorably sweet smile, which almost (almost.) made me feel bad for what I was about to do.

Itachi turned back inside, and when the school bell rung I raced to the training grounds where they would practice taijutsu this afternoon. I had waited for this day for a long time, and prepared for it even longer.

Itachi's class was the first class out to train in Taijutsu, I knew this fact because he talked about his classes to me. I knew that the teacher's liked pairing him up with everybody so I figured he'd be one of the first people to come out. I also figured in that Itachi had explained they were learning how to dodge and 'fall' correctly in class. (Falling correctly can actually be useful, it can save you from a broken neck.) So that conversation was what sprung my idea. With a feral grin I pulled out the trip wire and supplies I had stolen from my father's vast collection and got to work.

When Itachi's class came out, there was nothing irregular with the training grounds. Itachi glanced around for his Ototo but when he didn't see him he mentally shrugged and concluded he was just somewhere else.

The chunin instructor, (who had inky black hair and a scar over his right eye) announced that Itachi would fight Hidi Inuzuka he didn't even bat an eye. Itachi readied himself in his fighting position and waited for the other boy to fly at him, he knew Hidi's style enough to know he'd be pretty rash and animalistic about his fighting, in which Hidi did. The boy was a few years older, than Itachi and _hated _him for being an eight year old in a Thirteen year old class. As predicted, Hidi left his stomach open while reaching out clawed hands to grab, Itachi took advantage of this, sending a kick to make Hidi fly back and hit the soft earth of the training grounds.

_THAWNG _Itachi frowned, he was pretty sure _that_ wasn't the noise a body should make when hitting the ground. Itachi and some others looked around distrustfully, someone else was here.

Suddenly half of the class dodged out of the way, as the ones who were standing got soaked in a shower of colorful water balloons. Screams and yells of protest pierced the area as the ones soaked tried to fling water off of them in outrage.

Then only Itachi and the Chunin instructor jumped out of the away again, as the other half of the class got a load of pink glitter dropped on them from the tree tops. The glittered people coughed and tried to swipe the sparkling stuff off of them. Itachi frowned, he had a bad feeling he knew who this was.

From behind them, two red and white paint flung at the chunin and the student in all directions, Itachi's eyes widened, even from his feet the ground exploded with red and white, even from the freaking sky the paint hurled at him. Left to right, forwards and backwards, he was surrounded by red and white paint. Itachi could make a fireball to burn it all away but he didn't want anyone in the grounds to get hurt.

_Damn it, Ototo!_

Itachi let the paint hit him, it instantly soaked into his clothes, his hair, and stained his face and hands. It dripped down his neck and into his clothes as he tried to shake off the slithery feeling.

A small tinkling laughter shut the mouths of the protests of the class up, Itachi wiped the paint from his eyes and stared at his brother figure, laughing from the lowest branch of the tree.

"_Ototo." _He did all but just growl out.

Sasuke paused his laughing to see death glares from all the Academy students, the Chunin instructor and the most fearsome of all-his brother.

"Heh, I should run now shouldn't I?" I murmured, I had just managed to piss off the prodigy of Konoha.

Itachi kept his eye on the prize as many of the students lunged towards his brother, many of them rebounded though when then they realized there were wires everywhere, trapping them in the grounds, the only place that w_asn't _trapped in was the doorway to the training Academy. Then if the children wanted Sasuke's blood then they'd have to run all the way around, giving him time to run and hide.

Most of the kids sprang for the doorway, while Itachi, the soaked chunin and some other kids whipped out kunai and started demolishing the traps.

Sasuke gulped out a laugh and turned around and started running in the opposite direction, the Academy was a jump skip away from the edge of Konoha. When Sasuke chanced a look back he was startled to realize his brother was almost through his traps of wires, _I need a place to hide._

That's when Sasuke turned the corner and saw a dead end. _Twitch Twitch, I'm so dead. _

Killing intent poisoned that air, Sasuke turned around horrified, and there his brother was, looking quite demonic dripping in red and white paint.

"I-Itachi?"

Suddenly his brother smiled and Sasuke squealed in horror-this smile reeked bloodshed- but instead of a kunai in the head, his brother said something my scarier. "My little Ototo," The mirth that danced in his eyes almost made Sasuke wet himself, "How about a hug from you're older brother?"

Sasuke screamed.

Two dripping Uchiha brother's stood in front of the Academy. The class Itachi was in, all stood outside, glaring at the younger Uchiha. _Well, those girls won't bother me now-will they? _The chunin who taught them was already dry and in another pair of clothes. But if someone looked closely there was dried paint in his wet hair.

The chunin was lecturing Sasuke on adequate and…something. Sasuke wasn't listening.

Instead he was focused on a spot behind him, his father stomping through the street on his way to him. Sasuke was pale as he spotted his mother behind him, looking equally amused, embarrassed, and furious.

_What was I thinking when I did this? Oh, yeah. _

Sasuke smiled awfully sweet, his father was within hearing range.

"I was testing you." He interrupted the chunin. "I caught all of you off guard obviously. My brother stated that you were practicing sparring, dodging, and making traps." Some of the children's glares turned on his brother hostile. Itachi sweat dropped awkwardly, _you're going to lead me to a premature death, little brother. _(Little did he know how right he was.)

"What if it wasn't a prank? What if it was acid-kunai- gas-or razor wire instead of ninja wire? You would all be dead." The entire class was silent, even his father and mother had lost their angry expression. Sasuke was so concentrated on weaving his way out of trouble he didn't realize someone was coming up behind him.

"So yes. It was a prank, but it was also a test to see who was on their guard, who would live and who would die. You're all going to be genin aren't you? You need to be prepared. In fact while shinobi-san" Sasuke nodded to the teacher "got hit, he also was prepared and had another set of clothes." His father still looked a tad mad but leaned more on the contemplative side.

"That is an interesting view you have there, young Sasuke." A new voice clued in. Sasuke turned around (and almost had a heart attack) the _Third Hokage _was s_tanding right behind him. _Sasuke's mouth dropped open, he couldn't form words so he instead nodded. The Third recognized the glint in the Chunin's eyes, _Oh lord, _he thought privately to himself, _he's going to avenge himself on all the pranks pulled on him over the years. _Which was why the chunin had an extra set of clothes in the first place.

The silence pulled to a stop, "You're right." The chunin agreed almost giddily, all the children looked on in horror, "This was a good _test." _Every single child groaned knowing what their teacher was thinking, and Sasuke smirked smugly. Itachi watched his brother out of his eyes, _he had this all planned out didn't he? _

At home his father lectured Sasuke on how he 'shamed the clan' and how he would 'apologize to every clan in the village, and every child'. Itachi watched without emotion as his father put him through the ringer. He took a shower and scrubbed all the paint off of himself, _Sasuke is smarter than anyone realizes. But why does he hide it? _

Itachi paused, both of his hands tangled in his matted hair_, It's because I'm a prodigy. He sees me and doesn't want to be seen as one. Did I set a bad example? Why does he chose to be overshadowed? …Why doesn't he tell me? He's the closest on to me… Unless…he doesn't trust me? _

Itachi shook off that thought quickly, though it sent a stabbing pain through his heart. Sasuke trusted Itachi with everything-even his life. His brother saw Itachi as himself, not as some…advanced shinobi.

_Maybe he realizes…the pain of being advanced. Maybe he doesn't want it. _

But at the risk of his father's disappointment?

_None of this makes any sense. _Itachi finished his shower and stepped out, _I need to have a chat with my little Ototo._

* * *

_And, cuttt! _

_Priview: _

_"What are you hiding from me...?" "The true definition of a ninja is someone who guards what they love from the shadows, brother. Being overshadowed...Is being underestimated." _

_Question of the Chapter: _

_How should Sasuke/Kelly meet Naruto?_

_..._

_Okay, So this chapter was a lttle short but I plan passing ALOT of time next chapter, the chapter after that will be in the Academy. Next chapter will be super long and I know I'll have it out withing next week. Promise. I have big dreams for this story. I hope you all love this as much as I do. This is my baby. _

_Previews are going to come more often too! I gotthis idea from reading many other fanfictions-and I really like it!_

_Please leave a review on your way out!_


	5. Childhood

Extra: Itachi's Love

Sasuke's six year old body sat on the floor grumpily, sulking. _Hmf, He grounded me with a week of straight training till the Academy! It was just a prank! How am I going to look for Konoha Twelve now?!_

The door opened and I straightened up, "Neesan?"

My older brother smiled gently at me, "Hello Ototo," He approached me and kneeled down at my sitting hunched form. "How would you like to take a walk?"

I pouted, "I can't, I'm grounded." Itachi gave me a grin before poking my forehead, "I already asked father, you can stay in the compound for the next week." I visibly brightened, "I wanted to show you something."

I looked at my brother curiously, he turned around and showed me his back, "Climb on." My eyes took up a happy glow as I practically tackled his neck. _Finally_, _a moment where there is no homework he has to tend too, no training he has to slave over, he can be a brother. _I couldn't stop a small part of resentment for the Academy and Konoha, how dare they take _my_ brother from me? But I knew it was for a good cause ("The village") so I sucked it up and went with it.

Cause of the village. A village of deceit, but…If a village of deceit meant a happy village and it _worked_ then…I couldn't say anything about it. A sacrifice of one could mean the life of many.

I got the meaning quite well, honored it even. But it didn't mean a tiny part of me couldn't resent it. Why does anyone have to suffer at all? _Fuck human nature man._

"Neesan where are we going?" Itachi had carried us into the remote part of the compound, past the houses and training grounds. Behinds the training grounds were a small woods, nothing huge like the Nara's or infamous trees like Konoha's but it was private. If I compared the forest to the one back in the other world, ours would decimate. The trees were thick with wide sturdy branches and there was hardly and bramble on the ground, few bushes to be seen anywhere.

The animals here were fairly small, the rabbits were much stronger than the ones back at home. Faster too. (They probably had to adapt to so many ninja's catching and eating them. It made sense, and how do I know this? Well, let's say I _didn't_ try to catch one for kicks while training on my own. It took me a half-freaking-hour.)

There was also a small stream of water the gurgled and bubbled its way through the forest, splitting it practically in half.

"Neesan, Where are we going?" I asked curiously.

Itachi sent a small smirk back at me, "To one of my favorite places,"

I perked up a bit, "Ne, how much farther?!"

My raven hair brother chuckled, "Give me a minute if you hold on tight."

"What do you mean 'hold on-'" Itachi jumped in about ten feet in the air and I let out a small yelp, gripping his neck in almost a chokehold. To his credit, he didn't even flinch. "Brother don't kill me."

I loosened immediately, "Sorry Aniki. You…shocked me." I puffed up, trying to act cool. (Which I know my brother enjoyed immensely, I had fun acting cute and Itachi thought it was adorable…Not like he'd say it aloud but it was in his eyes.) He chuckled, "Mhm."

"Y-You did!"

"I didn't disagree with you Ototo."

"I-I know _that! _You referred to it!" I whined like the little kid I was.

We arrived at a clearing of trees, and my brother jumped to the ground. I stared. _I didn't know this place was here. _

There was a waterfall to our left, it was mesmerizing, watching the swirls of blue drift down the river at a lazy pace. The water fall wasn't the biggest by far, maybe twenty feet up dripping down from a small rocky ledge that almost encompassed the area and dripped down into a pool of water.

It was…peaceful. I looked at my brother, it was so…him. Peaceful. Itachi was too damn self-sacrificing. Or at least, he would be. If I hadn't have changed anything just by being here…by pulling that prank.

My brother was studying me closely, I could feel it. He wanted something, yet what that something was, I wouldn't know. As a genius, Itachi knew how to suck things out of people quite smoothly-he knew how to get what he wanted.

To my right there was a small target practice in the trees, it was in a semi-circle. I knew from watching him train Itachi didn't even need to look to throw a kunai into a target behind him. His fighting style was graceful, fluid and if he didn't have sharp pointy objects in his hands-it would be a dance. A deadly dance.

Comparing myself to him, I could already hit all the targets in front of me perfectly. If I hit the ones behind me they were slightly off center. But I was so proud of myself, in my last life I was so clumsy I couldn't have thrown a ball straight.

'Hn. You were a loser back then too.'

'_Shut the fuck up bastard Inner!'_

"It's beautiful isn't it?" My brother gestured around him. I nodded with an innocent grin. "Peaceful, do you come here to get away from your fangirls?"

Itachi deadpanned, "Partly." I laughed. '_I didn't think he'd admit to it.' '_Neither did I. He was a wuss at that that age.'_ 'What's that supposed to mean?!' _Inner didn't respond.

I pulled my shoes off and dunked my feet into the pool of water. I sighed happily and giggled (like the child I was) at the sensation of the cold liquid. Itachi sat next to me, and did the same thing. I looked to him in shock, he was being really compassionate lately. _Maybe it's because he realizes he ignored me and is sorry. _

"You're really smart for your age." _Oh no, not this conversation again "_you could do many great things. You can be a great shinobi, you're calculative and cunning." _Aw, shucks. What's the point of all this, he's taking a blunt approach. _"But what I don't understand is why you disguise yourself. Do you remember the time when the Kyuubi attacked?" _I do all too well. _But I shook my head no. "You predicted Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki would die…and they did."

"Minato…He's the Fourth Hokage right?" I asked innocently.

Itachi gave me a sidelong glance "Yes,"

"That day was the first day I realized you were smarter than anyone ever gave you credit for. I also knew you were smart enough to hide it. You never spoke like that again until six months later. You hid your progress, you could _run_ by that time and _control_ your chakra flow." My expression darkened at these words and I looked away, he had been spying on me this entire time and I didn't know it. "Not to mention at two you could mold your chakra to the leaf exercise. You could also throw a solid punch to an enemy-one that could make _me _stumble. And you are fast for your age. At three you could hit the bull's eye in a target Twenty meters away, you could also tree walk and perform small E-ranked jutsu. At four you could do three hundred push up and not be the slightest bit tired. Then you could do the Water Walking exercise. You could also suppress your chakra and stretch it out to sense other people coming." Itachi breathed, "Why do you hide your progress? Your genius? Even from me…If I didn't know you so well I wouldn't have guessed you could do these things."

I cursed myself, how hadn't I realized that Itachi was there the entire time-unless-_he suppressed his chakra? How could I not notice once?_

"Why…didn't you tell anyone?" I choked out, that's the thing that didn't make sense.

"You didn't want to tell anyone for a reason. What…I want to know is … why?" I looked at Itachi for a long time in his eyes, reading him, his intentions.

"A few reasons…" I started unsurely. "You knew when you gave me the Chakra Kunai my last birthday didn't you? You knew I knew how to channel chakra at a young age."

Itachi nodded, "I knew that you were far beyond your normal peers."

"Yeah…" I fiddled with the lapel of my shirt, "I guess I hid it because I'm afraid." I said truthfully. I'm afraid of people damaging the life I have now, life is so…delicate…like glass. I don't want it too…disappear. I don't want you or mom or dad to go, so I train in secret. To protect that secret…A ninja must look underneath the underneath…So…I lied. I want to protect my precious people…from the background. A ninja that protects peace from the backdrop. I'm afraid and scared of what this life is, but at the same time-I want to protect those dear to me…" _Like I couldn't protect Samantha._

Itachi wrapped his arms around me and rocked me back and forth, "I didn't know you felt that way."

"I'm just not…ready for the world. I-I want to enjoy life with you and everyone before…" _Before the Massacre. _

"I will always protect you Ototo," He swore, my eyes saddened to cloudy hues. "I will always be beside you." I hugged him back.

"I can see what you mean, I won't force you to do anything, so if you really want me too I'll kept your accomplishments an achievement…But you do know that one day you'll have to face reality." _Don't I know it. _

I nodded, "It's just not…not now. I couldn't handle it now."

He nodded back, a silent consent, and he stroked my hair lovingly. "… I… love you, Sasuke."

I froze. My eyes widened in disbelief.

_My brother said…_

It was the first time he ever said anything like that _out_ _loud_, the first time I heard it in this life. My grin threatened to break my face, this was so freaking _sappy_ but I _loved_ it! "I love you too, brother." A smile seeped into my voice.

If I had pulled away I would have seen the sad look on my brother's forlorn face.

Chapter 5:

"Death smiles at us all;

All man can do is smile back."

-From the movie Gladiator

There wasn't much to do as a baby other than train, think, and plot. Can I walk by the end of the week? Can I run around the room twice? How many push up's can I do till I collapse? How well can I control my chakra? Can I walk up walls?

It's not like I could ask-'hey can you get me this scroll on jutsu so I can try it out? Who cares if I'm a few months old right?' or 'Hey, I wanna meet my future best friend can you take me to meet Naruto Uzumaki? And Psh-wha? He's the Kyuubi container? You mean Fluffy?'

_'Yes because that's so going to work.' _

Not like I could do much anyways, I was worried why I couldn't feel my chakra.

Literally, I couldn't feel it at all. Not a smidge. Nadda. I could vaguely feel chakra around me, but no special energy inside of me.

It had me extremely upset, had I changed something by being here that mutated my body to not having chakra? What had happened when I tried to mess with it the last time?

Would I not be able to protect myself when Orochi-bastard came? Or if I was in Konoha-Pein?

I don't know why I was _now _choosing to panic about this. My only reason I could think of was that I tended to think backwards a lot. I usually planned then panicked later.

(Spoiler start…? There's a lot of those in here…)

But now I thought about it I was supposed to survive through a _massacre_ by my b_rother._ (Who was ordered too kill the clan for the sake of his country by the way.) Be put in a Genjutsu induced coma via said brother. _Bitten _with a c_urse mark _by _Orochimaru the freaking-sannin_. _Then _be put in another terrifying coma by said brother _again. _Deflect from the village, try to kill my best friend and go scampering off with a _bastard _who wants to _possess my body. Then _a few years later 'kill' said bastard and _walk past Kabuto _who was standing _right there _at the time (was it really that hard for Sasuke to reach out and kill him?) Then I'd put together a team (fucking annoying choices by the way) to track down _said brother _to only _kill him and find out he was really all that time a good guy. _And I would find out via truth by a raging madman. Oh, and forgotten best friend I tried to kill again and again along with my old team. _Then, _ha, _and then I'd turn against Konoha. _Then blah blah blah try to kidnap and kill said best friend then _bam _be thrust into the Fourth Shinobi War.

(Spoiler End…?)

I had actually never finished the series completely, I didn't know how it ended, but I knew there was death _so much death._

_And I was supposed to be a cause of it. _

Did I have a choice? Did I have to do these things?

No. _No I already promised to change it. _

But would I be in favor of the village? A village which would order the death of my family?

Why did I want to be a ninja anyways? I almost laughed-_I didn't. _Sure chakra and jutsu were _really super cool _but I didn't want the _bloodshed _with it.

Yet I had to be a ninja, knowing my fate. If I wanted to protect myself-If I grew to love others. I needed to be strong. I had to change their (poor) fate. I could save so many people.

_People _these were actually live breathing people, if I reached out to touch them I could feel them. This? This _physical life _trumped all of my memories of my old one. My memories couldn't really hold a candle to this life's reality. I had to adapt-become stronger. Because I honestly didn't have much of a choice.

Then I could never forget my Samantha, the thing that once kept me going, gave me reason to rise from my bed in the morning. But now-I needed to concentrate on the present. _This was my life now. My crazy fucking life I didn't want to have._

I needed to train. I needed to grow stronger, possibly stronger then canon Sasuke. I may not have liked this world due to the violence and backstabbing-but in reality every world had that. Every world had pain and sacrifice.

Doesn't mean it deserves to be conquered by some psycho in an orange mask.

_I couldn't even feel my chakra. How am I supposed to go up against that guy?_

I didn't have a choice. I couldn't do much of anything as of now-I was _helpless_.

When I was around my parents and Itachi I was all bubbly-happy-baby. I didn't show signs of extreme development like what happened on that night- Itachi had tried to tell them about me but I 'threw up' over my Fugaku's shoulder and the matter was quickly dropped.

I also didn't act like I knew the world had a good chance of ending, I didn't act mellow dramatic or in denial.

I just accepted my fate, and planned to make the best of it.

Freak out later.

I hardly cried unless I had an…'emergency' like I was _hungry_. Then I threw a total bitch fit, (It was hilarious watching my brother's reactions. I'd be 'sleeping' then BAM sobbing like I had lost my twelfth grandchild.)

A year passed quickly, there was mourning for Kushina Uzumaki and Minato Namikaze then that slowly faded, whispers of a 'monsterous boy' filled the streets. I knew who it was, but how the hell was I supposed to do anything? Also, that loneliness Naruto suffered also helped so many people. It was cruel but Naruto needed to suffer for a while, that pain…He would need it for the rest of his life.

Other than that there was peace, the Third took up the mantle of being Hokage again solemnly with a heavy heart.

My brother trained and got recognition of the clan as being a prodigy. I could care less about recognition, but this time people started seeing him less as Itachi and more of an obstacle to surpass. He had hardly any friends because of this and Fugaku trained and pushed him harder and harder.

I felt well, sad for him, so I swore to myself that first he'd always be my brother, then some child-amazing-shinobi. He was a good person, a little lonely but good. He was also surprising more emotional then Canon Itachi. But Canon Itachi after the massacre didn't show much emotion, but the few clips before he had smiled and laughed.

One night alone in my crib I felt something within me snap.

_Hurthurthurt_

I was in so much _pain. _My eyes watered and I let out a piercing wail, it was like a raging forest fire that purged in my veins. Or a hurricane that threatened to choke me. Dimly I was aware of being picked up, _this hurt so much._

_I squirmed and screamed, _voices called for a doctor and I felt sweet relief for someone to come save me.

_Help_. I silently sobbed, Screw being anything-this was _horrible_.

I read later that it was my chakra 'kicking in.'

Chakra works in strange ways, when a baby is born it doesn't have a lot of chakra. It's like flower bulbs in spring. It needs time to grow and grow and mold until it snaps and then the toddler has chakra, like a blooming flower the chakra finally happens and reveals itself. Toddler/baby level, yes, but chakra. During this period babies may have a 'taste' of that chakra, it may flicker on and off but it can 'bloom' at any given moment.

I didn't know it at the time, it was worse than torture. I screamed my head off.

For other's it would've been like an itch, chakra solidifying and setting in to your _bonesmusclesskin _it was _everywhere_ and the sensation was _terrifying. _

I picked up on a few words of the conversation, the doctor was talking about my chakra.

_Oh god what if I messed up?_

I, Sasuke Uchiha, had been deemed with Chakra Sensitivity. Or actually, the person whowas REALLY diagnosed was me, Kelly Anderson.

All I could think was, _why didn't this kick in when the Kyuubi attacked? _

I decided to wait awhile for my chakra to settle in and 'get comfortable' the burning to crisp experience I didn't want to have again. Ever. It felt like my insides were eating themselves alive.

So another year passed by of 'rigorous' training (crawling and a stumbling walk), until I discovered something that piqued my curiosity.

I had just started the leaf exercise, (sticking a leaf to your head and concentrating) except I had kinda bent the exercise and was simply using paper. (I had just turned two, I wasn't allowed to go anywhere yet.) _Give me a break._

I wasn't sure if I should be training at this age but I was so _bored _I decided 'to hell with it.'

After the leaf fell off my head _for the hundredth time,_ I laid back in my bed. I stared up at the ceiling just wondering _what am I doing wrong? I'm centering my chakra to my forehead, and sticking it there. _

_But it keeps falling off. _

_Why? _

My thoughts drifted lazily as my eyes fluttered shut. I was stressed, I _needed_ to get stronger. I _needed_ to protect this village. For god's sake-I couldn't hardly get anything right in my past life- I was going to bust my butt in this one.

I entered a darkness that reminded me of when I first died, I drifted for a while. _If I find out I'm not really dead-and I'm in some freaking coma or something I'm going to kill myself. I had the chance to make a difference in my pathetic life and I lost it. Great. _Most importantly I had _family. _Sure, fucked up family. But family none the less. It was a new beginning, a new page. Something that I would've fought tooth and nail for in my late life.

My daughter was the only thing that kept making me get up in the morning, she was the flame to my darkness. My hope and love. Yes, I had hoped she'd still be with me, yes I wanted to see her grow up. I'd still do anything to see her too…but I was accepting that I c_ouldn't _go back, and If I had the chance to, I don't know if I would've. Samantha is a strong girl. When she was silent in class she wouldn't take teasing from a_nyone-_she was outright bright and sunny. I knew that even though I had left her, I knew she'd grow up a fine woman.

I knew she'd be okay.

A light pierced the darkness, _Okay, I swear if I 'die' now I will flip my shit._

This kind of world was addicting, despite all the danger. Blood…War….

Nevermind.

I was standing and a light illuminated my soft figure. I was standing on top a pool of endless water that stretched for miles and miles around me, when I looked up there was no exact source of light but an endless dimness.

_Where…am I? I haven't even learned water walking yet how can I be standing on top of the water? _

The second thing I noticed was my feet, they were bare, but they were _big. _Not the child's feet I had grown accustomed to, and they were also _feminine. _

_What the hell's going on? _I bent down to the water beneath my feet, my eyes widened when I stared back at the reflection of my twenty-five year old self. _Okay what the hell is happening? _The reflection ripple and I jumped back when a child's version of Sasuke's face flickered instead of mine. I touched my features, my face, feeling the womanly curve of my lips and the length of my eyelashes. I fiddled with my long blonde hair and starred into dark blue eyes. I ran my hands down my body in shock, _why am I back? _My old life had started to feel like some complex dream. This life-Sasuke's life was becoming my own.

I looked in front of me and to the sides. Then I turned around, and with a gasp I stepped back. There was a huge looming steel cage before me.

It reminded me a bit of Naruto's, but instead of a sewer it was just in the middle of nowhere. I couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit…frightened. I didn't know why I was here, in my original body.

I walked up to the bars of the cage and looked into the darkness, in the dim, I recognized something that looked like a standing stone tablet standing erect in the rippling water. I wrapped my arms around the bars and leaned closer, there were two rectangular slips of paper, side by side, edges touching.

_Seals_, I though idly, their seals-but for what?

I squinted my eyes, _is that what I think it is? _

I was looking at the symbol of the sharingan. Not the Uchiha Clan but three pronged tomoes arranged in a circle.

_Maybe this is the seal that unlocks the sharingan! Do all Uchiha's have this? _I looked around the place the water the stretched for miles on end, _I…must be in my mindscape then_.

I studied the other seal, but it was…completely blank. _Maybe it is the Mangekyo Sharingan. Each Sharingan is different. So it makes sense why it's blank. Each Uchiha has the potential to have the Mangekyo, but each won't know what it is until the receive it. Until they remove the seal. _

_It makes sense. _

A low chuckle resounded around the place I was at, I jerked my head and turned three hundred and sixty degrees, there was _no one around. _'_Inner?' _

The voice (if it was Inner) didn't respond. Then all went black again, I drifted for a while wrapped in my thoughts. _I'm probably returning to my body-or- his body. _Then I thought of the two seals I had seen, _the cage is to keep me out. Not to keep them in. _I thought for a while, _probably means I can't access the Sharingan yet. I wonder…what would happen if I took the seals off early?_

I banished the thought from my mind. _I'd probably mess up my chakra coils, or fuck up my bloodline. I can't-I _won't_ do it._

I returned to the world of the living and looked down at the slip of paper next to me, cautiously I put it to my forehead and concentrated my chakra.

And the slip of paper stuck.

…

"Momma?" Young Sasuke tugged on the hem of his mother's pale dress. "What are you doing?"

Mikoto smile at her little toddler, "I'm cooking origiri riceballs sweetheart,"

"Riceballs?"

Mikoto smiled, she hadn't yet made this for her son as he had been weaned off of liquid foods not a year ago. "Yes would you like to help me?"

Sasuke nodded and Mikoto giggled and reached under the kitchen cupboard to pull out a stool for Sasuke to stand on.

"Okay! I've already made the rice, which takes about ten minutes on High Temperature. White sticky rice always takes a shorter time then brown rice. Brown rice takes twice as long and doesn't usually do well with Origiri."

Sasuke nodded and Mikoto pulled out a big pot of rice, "Perfect! Sasuke can you lay some wax paper out?"

Mikoto drained the rice while Sasuke pulled out the wax paper and spread them out. "I've already done the filling, Tuna with mayo and broccoli. Usually you just chop them up while waiting for the Origiri. Now, Origiri can come in three different shapes, circles, triangles, or cylinders." Sasuke just nodded again, "What one will we be making, Momma?"

"Well, which one do you want to do?"

Sasuke bit his lip as if in deep concentration, Mikoto smiled softly at her younger son. _Soon, he won't be like this. He won't be so innocent. _Mikoto knew how hard being a Shinobi was, being a late Jonin herself.

"Can…we try all three?" Mikoto looked over at Sasuke and shrugged, then ruffled his hair, "Sure!"

"Let's do the circles first," She said, she dipped her hands into what seemed to be a bowl of water next to her. "This is salt water Sasuke, it keeps the rice from sticking to your hands." "Oh!" Sasuke copied his mother.

She picked up a handful of rice on a spoon and unceremoniously dumped it into her palm. "Okay, cup your left hand,"

Sasuke picked up some rice and held it in his left hand, "press-" Sasuke pressed the rice in his hands almost squashing it, "-Gently!" Sasuke lightened up his fingers, "Good, and now you _gently_ turn the rice with your right hand."

Sasuke mimicked Mikoto, "Good! Now to finish it off curve your hand over the ball, like this see?" Mikoto held up the rice ball which had her hand almost cupping the rice in a 'C' motion. "Then use your left hand to-gently-squeeze it to whatever thickness you want. –Perfect!-"

"Now make a crater-but don't puncture through the other side," Mikoto rounded out a hole with her fingers and showed Sasuke. "Is this good enough Momma?"

"Hai! Then put in the filling like this-" Mikoto patted some Tuna filling into the Origiri then put some more sticky rice to cover the top of it then smoothed it over. Sasuke studied his mother's technique carefully and presented a slightly sloppy Origiri. Sasuke looked a bit disappointed, "You'll get better at it." Mikoto promised, and they shared a smile.

"Alright, let's do two more." Mikoto and Sasuke worked in silence, Mikoto looked over to see her son in 'extreme' concentration, his tiny pink tongue stuck out to the side. She grinned, her son was so cute.

"Done?" Mikoto set the Origiri down on the table, "Let's do cylinders next-these are going to be plain."

Sasuke just nodded and beamed up at his mother, "Turn the rice with your left hand while form a 'tube' with your right." Sasuke held his up to show her, "Exactly-you're neat at this! Now turn it on it's top and press the bottom and top together lightly. Oh-use your right thumb and fingers-perfect."

Sasuke and Mikoto reached for more rice, "I saw you the other day figuring out that puzzle Itachi gave you."

In fact Mikoto had seen it, it was an IQ test normally used for genin. It a 3D colored puzzle box that genin sometimes assembled. They had to make it, then take it apart as fast as they could. There was only one way to make it, and one d_ifferent _way to break it down. And they were _all _different.

After assembling it and dissembling it genin often used it for little hope chests to store things in. Like pieces of jewelry or something that is of great importance.

But Mikoto couldn't help but wonder what possessed Itachi to give it to Sasuke. Did he expect him to figure it out? No way-the child was two! Normal genin took days to complete this task.

Sasuke responded completely bored, "Oh yeah, I finished assembling the back right corner yesterday, I started on a wall today-I'll return to it afterwards."

Mikoto raised an eyebrow, "That impressive."

Sasuke's head jerked up with a grin, "Really?!"

"Yes you got it-what-three days ago? And you've assembled a back corner and a wall? It took me a week to finish mine-and I was fourteen at the time I got it. For someone your age-that's amazing."

Sasuke grinned, Itachi gave that to his brother. Did he expect Sasuke to be smart? Or was he trying to help Sasuke think logically-prepare him for those decisions and puzzles in battle?

Mikoto didn't know, but she resolved to keep a closer eye on her sons.

"For the next one-my favorite-we are doing triangles."

Mikoto maneuvered the rice till it was a flat ballish form. Then she buried a hole and put Tuna filling in. "Momma," Sasuke paused lowering his working hands, "Why did you stop being a ninja?"

Mikoto smiled, "You never…stop being a ninja. Once you are a shinobi, you will die a shinobi. Even if you do not die in battle." Sasuke's onyx eyes widened and looked down, "Then why don't you accept missions anymore?"

"Because," Mikoto eluded, "I have you guys and an entire clan to take care of now. Mostly I help your father and take care of you." Sasuke nodded, he already knew this, "Do you still train?"

"Oh yeah, definitely, I need to keep in shape-though it may not be what I previously was-say ten years ago."

"You must've been pretty strong."

Mikoto shot a glance at the solemn Sasuke and laughed. "What makes you say that?"

"Most young ninja's don't last very long in the field, to live as long as you have takes serious talent."

Mikoto sobered, "Or sometimes you are just lucky." She muttered thinking back to some of the horrific battles she had partook in, she had her own brand of scars like popular tattoos all over her body.

Both mother and son worked in silence for a while, wrapped in their own thoughts. "We're done," Mikoto announced needlessly, "Now for wrapping them in nori! (seaweed) Nori-Sasuke, keeps your hands from getting rice all over them and helps keep the shape (and flavor.)"

"Here," Mikoto saw Sasuke's doubtful face, she ripped off a tiny piece of green seaweed, "Try it,"

Sasuke's face scrunched, but his fingers reached up and took the leafy thing from her hands, he stuck his tongue out experimentally and licked it. Sasuke blinked then set the nori in his mouth," Actually-" he swallowed "-it's really tasty!"

Mikoto giggled, "Yes, it is."

Mikoto showed Sasuke how to wrap the rice balls in seaweed, then mother and son set the table for dinner.

_My mother is a sweet, kind lady. _

_I …love her._

…

Dinner was always a strange affair in the Uchiha household, sometimes one or two people could be missing. Fugaku would be at the Clan Head's office doing paperwork, or be at some meeting and Itachi would be out training, with his friend Shisui (Sasuke had yet to meet him), or at the Academy.

Usually one of the males in the house was always missing but that night it was an odd affair, everyone was sitting at the dining table. There was three Onigiri rice balls for each person (triangles, circles, and cylinders) Fugaku cocked an eyebrow at these-he hadn't had them since he was a kid, while Mikoto giggled at his expression. Itachi had a small smirk while he looked at his brother obviously happy that he accomplished helping to make dinner.

There was also salted salmon on the table, and egg tamagoyaki. Then there was a broccoli platter, snow peas and rolls. Then Itachi spied Yukari on the table an almost chortled. It was like the Bento Lunches his _lovely (sarcasm)_ 'fans' would make him and present to him in the Academy. (Itachi was too paranoid, if someone wanted to kill him then all they had to do was disguise themselves as one of his fans and poison him with food. He shot down his fans quickly trying to explain. He calls them just 'fans' because not all of them are girls. Oh.)

Sasuke was happy to help his mother making the rest of their food for dinner, but he thought it was strange, ("Momma, aren't these ingredients what you usually put in a bento?" "Yes, Sasuke. I'm trying to remind your father of his childhood" Mikoto laughed at some memory she had. "Private joke mother?" "You aren't old enough to know." Sasuke dropped the subject like a hot potato.)

"Itadakimasu!" The four said simultaneously, (Or, roughly translated to English "I gratefully receive" as Sasuke had done in his spare time.)

All four of them ate silently and quickly, at dinner none of them really spoke. Unless Fugaku and Mikoto would talk about finances and the compound security. (Fugaku always complain about the chunins keeping guard.)

"Uruchi made these rolls, I daresay she's one of the best bakers-not just in the town but in the entire village!" Uruchi had been introduced to Sasuke when he was a infant, she and her husband Teyaki owned a small bakery in the Uchiha compound. Uruchi often was very kind to Sasuke, and encouraged him to be more like his brother.

Sasuke called Uruchi 'aunt' (oba-san) out of respect.

"Hm." Fugaku hmmed,

"Sasuke, you made these?" Itachi questioned his brother poking at his food, Sasuke's riceballs were slightly smaller than Mikoto's and more rounded, as all the ninja's at the table noticed right away the difference. (Itachi had gotten a plate full of Sasuke's and he was inwardly gleeful.)

Sasuke nodded with a grin, "They're good." With that the ice was broken, Sasuke started chattering how Mikoto showed him how to make everything. Mikoto giggled at Sasuke's eagerness and Fugaku deadpanned.

"Oh come on Fugaku!" Mikoto whispered to her husband, "At least he learned to cook-first step to providing for himself!"

"I just he wasn't so chatty about it." He grumbled as he scooped up some rice with his chopsticks. "I can't believe I'm eating Ongiri."

Mikoto just laughed at her husband's face, "Do you remember-?"

"_No_." Mikoto just smirked in return.

"Then we made these little holes in the rice-" Sasuke demonstrated digging a thumb in like it was some heroic battle, "and filled it with Tuna, broccoli and mayo!" Itachi was looking a little bored, he knew how to make Onigiri- but he was enjoying the attentiveness on Sasuke's face.

"I love our kids." Mikoto whispered to Fugaku watching the exchange with a small smile. "Bred at the best." Fugaku agreed.

Mikoto deadpanned, "Bred?" She twitched.

Fugaku's eyes widened a fraction, "I didn't mean to represent myself that way."

Mikoto studied the bags under her husband's eyes, "You are spending too much time around them."

Fugaku shot her a small warning glare, then nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose. "They're…angry. With our position in Konoha."

Mikoto nodded sadly and returned to eating, Sasuke prattled on. Both adults were unaware that Sasuke had actually heard what they were saying, and knew what _exactly _they were talking about.

_And so it begins. _

_…_

When Sasuke turned three he approached his father in his home office, "To-san?" Fugaku looked up from his papers that were neatly stocked and piled into 'Unfinished' and 'Finished' piles. Then there were filing cases that were at his back, on the side of the office were a couple of chairs for relaxing and tea-one of Fugaku's personal favorite recommendations for stress relievers.

Sasuke nudged his feet together shyly and entered the room. "What do you need Sasuke?" Fugaku asked, a little annoyed, and he had to deal with all the complaints of the clansmen. The police force may have been satisfying for a short while but when the Uchiha clan realized they were going nowhere there was starting to be a protest of outrage.

"I-Is there a list of Uchiha's somewhere?"

Fugaku raised a brow, what a strange request. He gestured to the tall file in the right corner of the room behind him, "Yes, every record of every Uchiha every born is filed away in that cabinet." He narrowed his eyes at his son, "Why do you want to know?"

Sasuke eyed the case, "I wanted to see my file father."

Fugaku's other eyebrow raised, "Why?"

"I w-was curious." Sasuke shuffled his feet again and looked at the ground shyly.

"Stop that!" Fugaku snapped, "It's unbecoming!"

Sasuke stiffened into a stiff posture, "Hai, To-san."

Fugaku nodded then stood up and glided over to the cabinet. Sasuke walked behind him and studied closely the combination his father used to open the safe of files. Sasuke memorized the 12 digit code, Fugaku carried on as he hadn't expected a _three _year old child to really remember the code.

He looked under 'S' and found Sasuke's name and tossed the file to him, "For humor's sake, the older you grow the more will be added to the file. There are laws to have files on every ninja and civilian because if one happens to defect they need all the information they have on said person." Fugaku paused then shuffled back to the filing case, "In our clan-" He pulled out another file, "We have a special stamp for those who receive the Sharingan-some don't receive it at all, but most of the shinobi's do."

He opened the file to show Sasuke his own picture as a genin, a red Sharingan stamp next to it. "Clan files are scared and they are guarded with your life. I have traps laid out in the room when I leave this office, I change them every time I go."

Sasuke nodded, and a mischievous grin flickered across his face, "To-san, may I make a family tree?"

Fugaku stared down at little Sasuke, "Family tree?"

"I want to make a family tree of all the members, as the younger son of Clan Head I need to know all the people in my clan!" Sasuke said excitedly, hiding the _real _reason deep within his subconscious. "Father, may I use the filing cabinet."

Fugaku lest to say was pleased on Sasuke's interest in the Clan, "While I am elated of your interest I cannot let you use these files." Sasuke's expression fell, "However why don't you go around the Clan and make the 'Family Tree' yourself? Think of it as a self-project," Fugaku smirked.

Sasuke nodded, fire burning in his eyes. "I will make you proud father!" He turned and scurried out of the room excitement wriggling in his small frame.

Fugaku sweat dropped, "Sometimes I wonder if he is my child…"

…

I had a new mission I set for myself, I _needed _to keep track of the Uchiha's who _had _the Sharingan and those who would _receive_ it between now and the massacre. This was an important detail.

The massacre.

_The beginning had already started. _

Could I really spoil 'Madara's' plans and Danzo's corruption?

I couldn't lie to myself. _No. _I couldn't save my family, sure no one would blame me for not saving them but _I_ would, I _knew_ that they would die. I couldn't do anything to stop the Clan's greed, no matter how much I loved them. (What was I going to do? Shout 'Flower Power' and everything would turn fine and dandy? Ha!)

Even then, If I _possibly _convinced the Third for a higher role in society the Uchiha wouldn't be too satisfied the slightest. They would want more and more power until they rang for a Civil war, and the Fourth Shinobi War would be bloodier then the first.

I couldn't stop the Massacre.

But I'd do everything in my power to avenge it. (Not necessarily Itachi,) Itachi was simply the weapon that the _Elders _wielded_. And Danzo's actions I would slaughter him for. _

I couldn't, _couldn't, _spare that_ asshole. _Anger bubbled in me like angry flames, I held my chest my hand gripping over my heart. _Heh, I hate someone for something they hadn't done yet. Calm down Sasuke._

I had one Ace in the hole against all my enemies, _I knew the truth. _About them-about my clan-my goals. Everything was crystal clear, I wasn't Kelly Anderson anymore, I was becoming, growing into Sasuke Uchiha. _I was him. _This was _my _clan, _my _village_, my _brother_._

And damn it, I was going to make things _right. Right for my life. _

Now that I was Sasuke, I didn't blame him for the decisions he made-I couldn't imagine what he went through. Finding out the man he hunted his entire life turned out to be the one who loved him with no end. I didn't blame him in the slightest, in fact I started to grudgingly respect him slowly.

I would've gone completely mad with all the lies and bullshit Sasuke was fed.

That's why I swore to make his life the best I could make it. To give everyone Sasuke loved a chance, a second chance. I knew I couldn't save everyone, it simply wasn't possible. But I could make the best of it.

I had all the opportunity to fail. But I also had all the opportunity to _win._

_…_

"Oba-san?" Young Sasuke was holding a clipboard out in front of his tiny frame, "May I ask you a few questions?"

Uruchi Uchiha was surprised by a young Sasuke in large glasses and a high collared black sweatshirt that hung over his tiny fists. _So adorable. _Her motherly instincts kicked in, "What may I do for you Sasuke?" She asked while leaning on her broomstick and grinning down at the youngster.

Sasuke smiled up at his 'aunt' "I'm making a family tree of all the members and their abilities. My father said it would be a good way to introduce myself to the clan and learn of all the inward ties."

Uruchi nodded, "That's very reasonable of you, and quite smart of your father."

Sasuke beamed, "Let's start! Name?"

Uruchi gave Sasuke a deadpanned stare, he shrugged, "It's the first question on here?"

"If I have to answer that-I won't give you any Matcha cake" (Matcha is Japanese Green Tea, Matcha cake is green tea flavored cakes. Sasuke vouches for how delish they are.)

Sasuke scribbled down the answer. "Age?"

Uruchi narrowed her eyes, "Next."

"Bu-"

"_Next." _

"O-okay oba-san, do you have any siblings?"

Uruchi nodded, "Yes, a sister who is a chunin. Her name is Hiroko, she lives down that way-"She waved a hand behind her. Sasuke jotted the information down.

"Who were your parents?"

"Tamara and Shouta Uchiha, they were very kind-they would have adored you Sasuke…" Uruchi trailed off, lost in her thoughts.

Teyaki Uchiha stepped out of his shop, "Sasuke! What brings you here?"

"He's interviewing the Clan of our positions and abilities. An assignment Fugaku put him up to no doubt," Uruchi jumped in and Sasuke nodded along in agreement.

Teyaki thoughts turned thoughtful, "Hm, I guess you can interview me too." He consented grinning at the kid. "Yes! I'm still not done with yours Oba-san but would you like to do them together?"

She nodded, Sasuke turned to Teyaki, and wrote down his name next to Uruchi's. "Age?"

Teyaki narrowed his eyes, "I will not disclose that information."

"What is with adults being so sensitive about their age?" Sasuke grumbled under his breath. "Alright-intermediate family?"

"I was a single child, my mother name was Ayaka, my father was Mineru."

"Have you both ever been Shinobi?"

Both nodded, "Yes, when the Third War ended I was a chunin, Teyaki was a jonin. We retired and set up shop." Uruchi said softly, eyes glittering, seeing far off into the past.

"Do you…do you both have the Sharingan then?"

Once again both bo bbed their heads yes, "Three commas?" Another yes, "And you are retired." Another confirmation. "That's it! We're done!" Sasuke tucked his clipboard away grinning like a cat.

Uruchi shook her head knowingly, "You just want a Matcha cake." She accused.

Sasuke just smiled sheepishly.

…

I collapsed on my bed at home, arms splayed open hugging the downy comforter. I didn't think interviewing so many people in one day would be so tiring but it was. Perhaps it was also the reason why Fugaku sent me out, so I wouldn't be a bother to anybody at home.

Needless to say I was exhausted, I had learned a lot about my clan. More so then the Manga ever depicted. Yes, there was inter family marriage, yet there was also outside marriage too. It was a blend of both, (don't scream incest) which kept the bloodline alive and throbbing.

I wasn't even half way through the people in my clan and I must have interviewed twenty people. We were a large family.

I also noticed some of the tensions going on between Konoha and the Uchiha Clan. Konoha put the Uchiha's under a tight lock and constant watch of the Anbu. Word spread through the village that it was the Uchiha clan that attacked the Village all those years ago. The Uchiha clan was put to shame and talked down too, I could see their reasons for being angry. _Heck, I'd be angry too if my deranged cousin tried to tear my home apart with my own bloodline then the blame was put on me._ The villagers though, they were so _nasty _about it. They looked at us suspiciously and shops shut their doors if we passed, how did they know anyway? Wasn't it supposed to be top secret?

I guess no one knew about the 'masked man,' if they did I'm sure there would be a call for his blood.

The discrimination had just begun, and I only knew it would get worse and worse.

Every moment with them counted.

We were being segregated, almost squeezed into a tiny portion of the village. No, we weren't being forced to _move. _People were moving _away. _

This was all done so quietly-so discretely-that if I was really a small three and a half year old I'd have not a single clue.

I was mastering the Tree-Climbing jutsu, and my kunai throwing to further my training. I had went to the Uchiha library and started to take careful notes in a journal.

In most cases using a journal-even coded- was hilariously stupid. All codes could be broken, and languages could be solved. So I used a twisted form of English, French, and Chinese characters into my writing. (Languages I had taken in my past life in school, and had used touring other countries.) Every once while I'd switch it up for a random doodle or a 'fake' word. It may have been over extensive, but I hadn't ever seen French, Chinese or English in this world before. The pictures and the fake words would be traps for people who tried to read. I also wanted to look for a jutsu that meant the writing was for my eyes only.

I studied the Uchiha history furiously, (that was actually surprisingly biased, everything was said so that the Uchiha was seen in the best light. I snorted, way to go Uchiha arrogance. You get a gold star for brain washing.) On the Six-Path Sage, the birth of the Uchiha and the Senju (or the "dirty Senju" the Uchiha's stated all over the complex) clans I wrote about, combining my knowledge with this world's. I read up on Madara's and Hirashima's story, this scroll was ancient-absolutely magnificent. There was even small illustrations of fight scenes at the bottom. There were small tears at the top from age and it just reeked wisdom.

I looked to the left then right, to one was in sight, I grinned slightly and pulled the large scroll up to my nose and sniffed up long with a happy grin. It was moments like these I loved the most-I had always enjoyed the smell of antiques-

"Um, What are you doing?"

I froze horrified, my eyes becoming the size of dinner plates, my hands red in the act. I shoved the scroll back on the table and spun to face the attacker. "U-Um nothing?" _Kami_, I was _such_ an _idiot_. I screamed to myself.

The boy with messy hair stood there just lifted an eyebrow at me, then gave a small little grin, "You were sniffing the scroll weren't you?"

I didn't bother trying to deny it, he had a Hitai-ate wrapped around his forehead. A ninja would have caught me in the act of sniffing the scroll like some love-sick fool.

"Yes," I relented "It relaxes me." I made sure to add a pout for the 'kid affect.' A little color flooded to my cheeks in my shame.

But the boy laughed and came to sit on the other side of the table with his own scroll, "So I hear you're that kid who goes around messing with the clan members for some project of yours." He smirked, and gave me a thumbs up, "Nice. No one has a sense of humor around here."

I raised an eyebrow at that, "I suppose. I'm making a Family Tree of people and their inter relations in the Clan."

"So you are interviewing them?" The boy asked, and I nodded. There was a silence, "Well, what are you waiting for-you can interview me!"

"H-Hai." I scrambled for my pack with my notebook and Clan information in it, "Alright," I said nervously. There was just something that put me off about this boy, I was wary.

"Name?"

"Shisui Uchiha."

My mouth popped open in disbelief as I starred at the smirking boy with messy ink hair. This was Shisui Uchiha? How didn't I recognize him? _He looks so young...well…duh_. Quickly fumbling for an excuse of my staring I blurted, "You're the guy my brother talks about!" _What the hell is up with me today? I'm coming off a total fool!_

Shisui gave a teasing smile, "All good things I hope."

I shrugged, some of them weren't nice things but Itachi was very fond of him. I could see their bonds (of FRIENDSHIP people) beginning to intertwine.

"Alright-going to skip over this next one. It's not like anyone answers anyway." I mumbled the last bit.

"What?" "Oh, nothing."

Shisui stared at me his head turned at a light bend, "Itachi's kid brother sure is weird."

"I _am not _weird. I'm simply _tired." _I disagreed vehemently.

Shisui waved me off, "Whatever you say kid. Go take a nap."

I twitched and breathed. "Any siblings?"

"No."

"Parents?"

"Of course I have parents."

"I mean-ugh-_who are_ your parents?"

"Is that a please I hear?"

I deadpanned, "Of course."

"Sarcasm! At least some Uchiha has a sense of humor." He teased.

"Alright, _please _tell me who a_re _your parents."

"My father is Kagami Uchiha, my mother is Ayame Uchiha." I nodded and jotted it down, Kagami in the series wasn't that much of a known member. But he was there when the Sandamine was pronounced the Third Hokage when the Second went out to war as a decoy. He was noted on his strong will to protect the village which was eventually passed down to Shisui. Other then that, he also had the sharingan.

"Alright, have you activated your sharingan?"

"Yes, before you ask-three tomoes" _As I expect for one having the ultimate Mangekyo Sharingan. One that never fell victim to the Curse of Hatred. _

I stared in his right eye, _Danzo will steal that eye. _I growled in my head.

'Grow up and pay attention idiot!'

I nodded my head "You've obviously done your research well." I grumbled. Ending Shisui's piece. I already knew his eye would wind up being Danzo's. Danzo proclaiming that he wanted to help the leaf 'in his own way' (greedy assholes must die.)

"So what are you studying?" He asked awkwardly gesturing to the scroll in my arms, "Or sniffing?"

I glared at him, "History of Konoha."

"Oh, ew. You learn that in the Academy."

"Whatever-does the Academy have these scrolls?" I waved mine around in the air dramatically like I was some preacher singing to the choir.

"Well they are pretty old…" Shisui squinted at the scroll in my finger and I twitched, he noticed. _He knows he's getting to me, little bastard. _

"Still," I leaned back crossing my legs and drumming my hand on the table, "I might learn something new from the Academy and combine it with something I already know."

"But why are you writing in code?" Shisui nodded to my notebook, I suddenly flew through a stream of curses in my head. I had left my notebook open.

"To practice...?"

Shisui nodded, "How old are you, kid?"

"Three and-a-half!" I stated proudly.

Shisui raised a brow "-and you're writing in code?"

"Yes!"

He snorted, "What do you have to hide-you sniff scrolls or something?"

I deadpanned, he grinned. "Let it go." I said stubbornly.

"How about…no."

"You're annoying."

"You're amusing."

"I'm glad to be your sense of entertainment."

"You should be, not many Uchiha's get to have a sense of humor."

I looked at him dryly, "Sense of humor?"

He gave me another infuriating smirk, "Or get to be the butt end of a joke."

I deadpanned _that's it, this guy's going down._ "If I'm the joke then you must be missing some serious humor in your life…Or do you have one?" I stuck my head back in my reading it was a low, pathetic blow but what was I supposed to say? _I'm not the one who gets my eye ripped out by some power freak trying to 'protect' Konoha. _That'd be even worse. Monsterous-even if he knew what I was talking about. Instead Shisui laughs, _Strongest Mangekyo be damned. This guy pisses me the fuck off._

Shisui twitched then sighed, "No. Not really," He crossed his arms behind his head, "Not many things to laugh at in these times."

"Too true," I muttered under my breath, half reading what was on the page, half listening to Shisui.

He too took unwrapped his scroll, _Oh no he's going to stay?! _"What was that?"

"Oh…nothing." I said off hand.

We both worked in a silence for a while, I recorded and meshed my thoughts together in my notebook. "Why are you studying anyway?" Shisui asked peering at me curiously, "A kid like you should be playing ninja or something with all the other clan kids."

I looked from my scroll and looked at him square in the eyes. "-And most children die before their fifteen." Shisui jerked back, "I'm not going to be that way. I'm not going to be just another dead body to bring home to disappointed parents." A trickle of shock flashed over his face as he sobered.

"I…see." He went back to his reading more seriously. (I bet it was on our clan's kekki genkai, just a hunch.) But I didn't dare ask, I knew he was thinking of what I said. I knew I came off as light years mature, but I _couldn't _fake being a child all the time. So why try? I _can _be happy and childish, but I can't muster up to be the child all the time. It was too…depressing.

I always changed, constantly. I had a windmill of opinions, like my plans, my views hopped feet always. One minute I'd be scared the other brave, one angry then sad. It was just…me. I was like two sides of a coin, one that had good intentions-the other bad. But if someone kept me to them…I'd be loyal, I'd be of value. Constants in my life I held close and dear _like Samantha and Itachi…_

_It doesn't help that I'm super conflicted about being reborn again…Not like I can do much about it._

"Ne, Shisui-"

He twitched, "No honorific?"

"No way!" I stuck my tongue out.

"Anyway- What are you reading?"

"Oh this?" He waved the scroll, "It's jutsu that helps your speed."

My eyes widened, _Stupid! He's Shisui of the body flicker too! _I tilted my head, "Speed?"

He smirked, "You're too young but…It's the technique to the body flicker."

I raised a brow _so the prodigy begins. _"Speed, huh?"

He nodded, "Speed can help you kick as-uh-butt in a fight." I _almost _laughed at his screw up so I just smirked and crossed my arms. "But what if they trap you?"

Shisui winked, "You'll just have to be fast enough so that they _don't _catch you."

I sweat dropped, "Still," I looked to the side ad bit my cheek, "You'll need more then speed." _Like the Mangekyo Sharingan. _

Shisui nodded, "I guess you're right." He stared off in the distance clicking his tongue.

That's how Itachi found us hours later, me, passed out from sheer boredom and exhaustion. Shisui sticking his tongue out trying to read my black book, he held up the book to Itachi, "He made up his own code. _I _can't figure it out."

Itachi raised an eyebrow, "You're going through my little brother's personal things?"

Shisui sweat dropped, "The kid made me curious!"

Itachi shook his head with a small smile, "Normally I would condone you for looking into private things but since you cannot understand I'll let it slide."

"Yeah, why's your kid brother studying the _history of Konoha _anyway? That was the most boring part in school!" He crossed his arms behind his head and propped his legs up on the table. "Though the battles were interesting." He admitted.

Itachi also shot his brother a sidelong look underneath his lashes, "Perhaps he just doesn't want to repeat the past…"

Shisui deadpanned, "Cryptic as ever Itachi."

Itachi just smiled at his friend, Shisui grinned back. Shisui scooped up Sasuke's scroll and put it back on the shelf where it belonged, while Itachi hoisted his sleeping brother on his back, arms draped loosely over his front.

"He's a smart kid." Shisui nodded at Sasuke, then his face morphed into a more serious expression, "He's …more aware then most kids too." At Itachi's stare he clarified "He realizes that being a ninja just isn't a game and saving the day."

Itachi pointed his gaze down, "Yes…I believe he does understand more than any other kid. About that…"

Itachi and Shisui nodded too each other and parted ways, Itachi looked down at the small bundled over his back, "What am I going to do with you, Ototo?" he sighed.

…

…

Another year passed and Sasuke had finally finished constructing the 'family tree' as a five year old it was impressive how he regularly updated it. When Uchiha clan mate would receive the Sharingan he would jot down One prong, two prongs three prongs, or when it came to Shisui's case he would ask them to flash their Mangekyo and draw it down.

Then he would show the Clan the Notebook that he would record everything in Japanese in.

The family trees that stretched back _four _generations. Then from previous records (his father only let him used deceased files) he constructed the rest of the trees branches. All the way to the Six Path Sage, needless to say the Clan was impressed.

But then came another issue for Sasuke to overcome, the Clan voted to start Sasuke's training early because he showed so much potential.

_Well, fuck. Here comes the acting. _

Fugaku, as a tradition in the Clan the Father always taught their son their first jutsu.

_He was going to teach me how to do the Fireball jutsu. _

_Shit this is too early. _

He led me to the lake and showed me the hand signs for the fire jutsu excitedly, "To-san, I don't know the hand signs for jutsu." I stated innocently. He regarded me closely, "You haven't read up on them?"

I shook my head, "Itachi didn't show you them either, hm?" He sweat dropped and looked defeated, by his mistake. He was hitting himself mentally for not _asking _about the basics but at this age Itachi had already knew the hand signs. "Alright your new assignment is to learn the hand signs and start taijutsu with your brother."

I nodded unsurely, I would need to fail _every _attempt for the next two years. _He's not even going to attempt to teach his own son the handsigns?_

Until I got into the Academy.

I would not be put in the Academy early. I looked down and scuffled my feet, the heavy silence was almost unbearable. Like my father was disappointed in me for living or something, I wondered what his motive was-to train-to become a ninja. Sure to protect your precious people-but was there another reason? Was he also forced into this life like I had been from his family?

"To-san, why did you become a ninja?"

My father gave me an unmeasurable look, "To honor my clan and village."

I observed him, Honor…wasn't everything, there were friends and comrades and _love and protection. _Wasn't there? Or…perhaps it was all one big cold game played by men with power.

Perhaps I was wrong, but I had never put my life on the line for something like my country back at home. I was too busy with Samantha, though I had a sense of honor for the people who protected us. I knew that if there were people who were willing to kill me for the reason just being an American-then people would want to kill me for being a Konoha leaf nin (Especially Iwa given the state of the last war and the Yellow Flash) not to mention I was an _Uchiha. _Things weren't nice and dandy, they wouldn't ever be in this life, in this body.

I always tottered at the brink of selfishness and selflessness. With my knowledge I could save this world a lot of hurt and pain.

_'To honor …my village'_ A village he would rise up against in retaliation of the Clan's hurt pride from the Kyuubi attack. I didn't know which was worse, my village or my clan The Clan who raised a revolt or the village that slaughtered them. I wasn't _that _sacrificial that I wouldn't blame a small bit on my own village, there were other ways to deal with a revolt other than a damn massacre. Damn Danzo.

_Clan over Village. _I guess it was an honorable choice, stick with the people who raised you _cared_ for you. The village-if you had few friends like my father- didn't all care too much for us. But the villagers had families too, they had sons and daughters, mothers and father they cared for and enjoyed during times of peace.

So choosing your clan over the millions of other families and clans was _selfish_, it was like choosing yourself in a household of distant cousins. But choosing to have the village over your clan was self_less. I'm going in circles with my thoughts aren't I?_

I didn't know which was better, you killed off a part of yourself either way. It was like shoving a knife in your throat and walking around gurgling.

If I choose my Clan it would be a noble honor to its name but if I chose my village I would honor the ones who betrayed my Clan. The people who cared for me, well select few. I admit most wanted to see how much of an investment they'd get out of training me.

But I was purposely aiming for children of my age group. This wasn't like training with targets in practice, I had to make absolute sure I hit the bulls eye.

_I really have to stop these inner monologues, god, why couldn't I be a Nara? _

Seriously though_, _if I had gotten to choose a clan to be in I would pick Nara.

I loved the brains they inherited (Even if they all weren't complete geniuses like Shikamaru and Shikaku most were highly developed intellectuals.) Their shadows jutsu were an amazing concept to me, and I like the idea of the herb medicines their clan also seemed to create. I also loved how teamwork was stamped into all of their heads, the Yamnaka's and Akimichi's worked together flawlessly. So much so, I was almost jealous, their cards suited one another quite well. The Yamanka's had good spying and interrogation techniques and the Akimichi's were very keen on what to feed their bodies (No seriously, their measly bar could last a soldier days on the battle field) and their jutsu was by far leaning toward the more brawn side, a perfect complement to the strategist and the interrogator. The Akimichi were definitely the brawn in jutsu.

I would have taken any one of those clans with a smile on my face. I admired them all (not that I would admit it)

_No I had to be a flashy Uchiha. With a powerful eye that can create illusions, copy techniques, burn fire through walls and make an ultimate barrier… Amongst other things._

_Why couldn't I be a Nara? _I whined in my head.

Sure, that power was beyond cool man, but _I didn't want it. _Sure it **could **save my ass a bunch of times, but the price of that power to me wasn't worth. The 'Curse of Hatred' that constant jealousy and endless hate would tire me, even knowing what was coming I was spiteful-so who-or what would I be when it _did _come? Also, I secretly thought that the Sharingan was a cheaters way out, relying on it disgusted me when hard work was more heroic to me than anything. People that worked their way to the top they _deserved _their title, the Sharingan was a way to _cheat t_heir way up there.

It's one of the reasons why I hated Orochimaru so much.

I caught my father's stare and sweat dropped _everyone must think I'm really weird with these inner monologues. _"I guess…so."

My father studied me for a bit more and closed his eyes together, "You will understand more when the time passes, you will know what's it's like to stand by your people's side…to fight by your _people's_ side." _But your Clan forever remains over your village._

I couldn't disagree without punishment so I simply nodded and walked behind his wake all the way back to the compound, _well this trip was useless. Though it interests me how he doesn't have interest in teaching his own son how to do hand signs. _

He really is cold.

_He is your father._

I love him, too.

_And thus, this was how my little circle of precious people expanded._

…

So at four years old I began my training, _the beginning of the end. _

_'I am so dramatic.'_

'Baka.'

'_Oh, I missed you Inner_!' I stated sarcastically in my mind, '_Where've you been_?'

'Observing,'

A tingle ran up my spine, '_Observing? Observing what_?' I said suspiciously.

'I've been testing you to see if you're…worthy. So far you have used a great portion of your time…wisely. I approve.'

'_So I have to go by your approval now?_' I asked sarcastically,

'Yes.' The voice said smugly.

_'Fuck you.'_

'Pass,'

'_Why is my Inner so irritating?' _I muttered to myself crossly.

'Idiot, I have a suggestion.'

'_If you call me idiot again why should I listen?'_

'Because if you don't then you'll miss out on a valuable opportunity.'

'_One that my Inner only knows the wisdom too?'_

'Bitch.'

_' -and proud, bastard.' _

'There is a training ground, behind the lake where Itachi will take you to train, Itachi and you will be the only ones who go there either than your father, Shisui and some cousins. If you travel farther back I suggest you start training your chakra, how to vitalize your chakra.'

Another shiver went up my spine, _'How do you know this? Did my subconscious pick it up?'_

The low voice chuckled, 'yes, yes it did. Your subconscious can pick up things that sometimes, consciousness cannot ever hope to achieve. So, in a few ways I saw more things to your subconscious then you did consciously. For instance you glanced at the training ground behind the lake where Itachi took you to to start your Taijutsu exercises, you noticed the brush behind it. I picked it up and offered you the curious pull towards it, it is a perfect, inconspicuous way to learn while flying under the radar of your father and others. '

'_That's the most I heard you speak,_' I mused.

I could almost _feel _the irritation off of Inner, 'Use this knowledge wisely.'

'_One day…' _I thought to myself quietly, '_'I'll have to solve the work of the mysterious Inner.'_

_'Inner, are you still there?' _No answer, '_Why did you keep quiet for all of these years? Why speak up now?'_

_'_Now you have mobility. I suggest you take advantage.'

I nodded silently to myself, '_True_. Point Taken.'

…

When Itachi first started me on Taijutsu, he started me on exercises.

Yes_, exercises. _Like _pushups, sit ups, pull ups, crunches, leg ups, bicycles, squats. _Except my brother didn't even call them those, he just called them warm ups. Warm ups-which included running around the compound.

My 'warm up' went a little like this: One run around the compound, thirty pushups, twenty pull ups, fifty crunches, twenty legs ups, thirty bicycles, and thirty-second squats. Then jog around compound again, timed.

Remember I was _four years old, _chubby baby fatand all, Itachi had said we'd start _easy _and work our way up.

Needless to say I complained, "Neesan! This is _easy?!" _

Itachi wore a small smirk, "Yes, I have taught you the fundamental properties of chakra moves already, you should have good strong taijutsu to compliment it."

I think he was just being sadistic.

As famed pacifist as he was he could be downright _sadistic _with the people he loved.

Like beating me to bloody pulp.

"Yeah, psht, _easy." _I grumbled while doing crunches, sweat poured down my face. What I never understood was why Itachi never brought water to practice. Even when he was doing his own training, he never brought water. I knew that training would come in bucket loads in the future, I knew I would _ask _for it.

Doesn't mean I couldn't complain now like the brat I was.

"Itachi-neesan," I grinned, _this will wipe the smirk off his face, _"Your name…means..._weasel_ doesn't it?"

Itachi _actually twitched, _he glared at my innocent tone. "Why are you named that?" I asked innocuously.

Itachi gave me a tense smile, "Ever heard of Kamaitachi?" He asked tersely.

I shook my head no, "They are a legendary trio of weasels that would travel on the wind, and cut unsuspecting victims with razor sharp claws. According to legend the first weasel would knock the victims down, the second would tear into the flesh and the third would medicate the wounds." _Oh my gosh, this is the reason behind Itachi's name?! _"So then the victim would be left with wounds that weren't bleeding," _Bruises right_? "Kamaitachi originally meant 'attacking' but then it was changed to 'sickle weasel.'" _The Japanese are really weird._

At the end of his speech I didn't know whether to laugh or just stare at Itachi's bad luck.

So I cracked up, Itachi narrowed his eyes down at the laughter that rocked through my young frame. He waited till I was done chuckling before stating in a calm voice, "You will have five extra laps around the compound after practice today."

"Eh?! I didn't mean it Neesan!"

Itachi smirked, the devil.

…

After practice Itachi sat cross legged behind a panting young Sasuke. He was patient as he awaited his brother to cool off, his dark eyes followed each breath of his younger brother. Life was an exotic thing, it was striking-yet so easily…breakable.

Itachi tugged on his tail, it wouldn't be long until they couldn't do this anymore. Itachi would have almost two years before he started on missions. Then…he'd see his brother less, he'd have less peace and more war. War…

Sasuke was out eagle-spread sweating bullets on the soft grass and he belched out a loud groan.

Becoming a ninja was tough shit.

"When you're ready we'll practice handsigns." My brother said in monotone-almost mocking my existence.

I glared, _extra_ laps for laughing, that _devil_ should be sued! …For…child abuse?

Well, in this world it was pretty common for child abuse (Examples: Naruto, Hinata, Neji, Haku etc etc) Which was pretty sickening, but once again-differentiation of different cultures. Pushing their kids to die for the sake of the family, psh, feudal Japan. No one imposes the law here, other than Ambu-who you really don't want to mess with. They aren't that gentle as the court systems back in my old world. Hell, do they even have court Martials in the Naruto world?

I sloppily copied his poised fingers, grumbling how his ways of teaching were totally unfair and inflicted me in torturing ways.

My brother had one response, "You want to be a good shinobi don't you? How good could you be if your taijutsu resembles a civilian?"

I deadpanned, "Thanks, brother. I needed that."

He smirked, "Anytime," _This_ was supposed to be a pacifist? He was a _sadist_ to me!

Then he showed me hand and finger exercises to stretch and strengthen the fingers so they were nimble and quick. For babies they had given blocks and simple puzzles to unravel.

I had missed this purpose as a child. I tended to care more for books, reading, and stuffed animals to freak out over. Not…the simple puzzles-I had also worried that if I solved them then it would be a straight way ticket to genius prodigy. In fact, the only puzzle I had completed was the one my brother handed to me and _adult _one (after so much baby-toy-shit I got _so _bored.) It was this small puzzle on how to arrange and rearranged the box.

_So_ I had missed this opportunity, (how? I don't know, probably between trying to act like a child and worrying about the Fourth Shinobi War.) Every extra moment I practiced these exercised, especially since my father made an offhand comment on how slow and pudgy my hands were.

My father was getting to me, I got really upset when he would throw harsh comments my way. In my past life, I would've just shrugged him off. But this time…It hurt…I loved him, it felt like he was rejecting me because I wasn't good enough. Rejecting me for him, Itachi. As much as I loved my older brother, I constantly felt like I was standing in his shadow. _I was four years old._ (At least what it looked like) It was horrible that these kind of expectations where forced on me in the first place, now everyone wanted me to be some sort of genius. My father studied me closely when I was playing, then usually he would shake his head disappointed and get up and walk out of the room.

It shouldn't hurt like this.

I shouldn't react this way.

I'm Twenty-Five for god's sake-Twenty-nine if you're counting childhood déjà vu.

My plan was to hide that I was an adult stuck in a toddlers body…but the way he forced a ton of pressure on me to perform made me want to forgo all that.

But I couldn't.

I couldn't change the plotline (here, too much)

So I made sure I kept my fingers limber, I added hand exercises to my (secret) chakra drills.

Except with Itachi I did ten minute exercises, when alone I did fifteen before and after chakra control drills. It helped me become faster and more comprehending. It also made reading my books _that_ much easier.

Though I had just started a few months back with my training, so often my fingers were sore, bleeding, and full of calluses. Training was a pain, but I needed to grow stronger, not just to impress my father but to beat all of _them. _I didn't have boundless chakra like Naruto, I didn't have chakra control like Sakura. I might've hated my lucky 'kekki genkai' but in reality…I needed it.

Itachi grabbed my hands, I tried to hold a wince in. He studied my hands for a while silently, "Sasuke…" He murmured a single crease in his eyebrows, he met my eyes, "You will take the next week off so these wounds will close."

My eyes widened, "But-" What if _I can't win?!_

"No." Itachi leveled a glare, I looked down saddened.

If…If I didn't train-or look like I was training Father would throw me nasty glares for a week-and that pressure building up behind the wall would collapse. I just _had _to keep training. Maybe I could even do it alone-"And no training by yourself either Sasuke, I will tell father about this. _All _of this. You need rest, you've made a remarkable routine for just starting your career."

"Brother-we are six _months_ into training-I keep messing up hand signs and sometimes I can't even complete the _warm ups. -_Never mind the actual training session. Which I can't even _complete. _You only show me the starting stances to flip through, nothing else-it's so _frustrating. _I can't do a_nything _right!_" _

"Ototo, sometimes things take time."

"This shouldn't take _this _long!" It was true, it was taking me months to develop my fingers-and I hadn't even memorized all the hand signs as of yet. Kisimoto hardly did this world Justus, there were _a hundred _handsigns (though some WERE common) Uchiha's apparently had to learn the ones that were pretty outlandish to recognize what chakra you would activate. –technically I hadn't even got to chakra activation.

To say I was discouraged would be an understatement, this was the beginning to the training for the rest of my life and I was so _unapt _it was _revolting. _I was useless, screw being a four year old-I _needed _to be stronger-for god's sake-there was _Madara, Tobi, Kabuto, Nagato, Akatsuki, Orochimaru._

How was my progress?

_Slow. _

_Too slow. _

Water came unwillingly too my eyes, "_God damn it." _I muttered under my breath, I couldn't keep learning at this snail's pace.

_I didn't want to die again!_

"Sasuke…" Itachi laid down on the ground next to me and stared up at the lazy clouds dancing across the sky, "An oak doesn't grow to a tree within a week. It starts from a seed, and steadily makes it's way to a sprout. That single sprout takes light, and food for it to grow into a young sapling. From the young sapling it takes even more time to become greater and better things." His eyes flicked to me, "Everything takes time, Sasuke. You are more mature than others, yes, but you are just a child. You can't expect everything to come as easily as reading did to you. You have to be patient, you took years to learn our language, and this is just another language you will acquire."

"But…should I be comparing myself to other children my age…? As you said…I'm more…mature then kids my age. Shouldn't my real worry be what's out there?" I gestured to the sky for emphasis.

"One day it will be, but for now-" He gave me a closed-eye grin, "-your big brother is here to protect you. I wouldn't be doing my job right if I let anyone touch you."

I laid my head on my brother's chest, facing the sky. "Will I ever be as good as you, Itachi-neesan?"

He rubbed my head with a soft hand, "Yes, one day…you'll surpass me…Big brothers are meant to guide you, to help their little brother's anyway to become the best they can be, to stand by their side…." The light in his eyes became shadows and murky depths, "Even if I am only an obstacle, older brother's take care of their younger brothers."

We fell into a peaceful silence for a while. I listened as the birds chirped spring tunes and bees vibrating around the flowers at the edge of the training fields. The sun in the sky was shy, hiding behind fluffy white clouds that drifted lazily in the breeze. It was serene, and somehow with my brother here-I tended to feel invincible.

"It's alright to take breaks, Sasuke. You need to be a kid a little more-you only have one chance, one shot before reality throws you off the cliff." He patted my hair, "And sometimes, when you take a break you come back to training refreshed; you get farther in those sessions with the breaks- then you would ever get in the training without them."

"Aa, Gomen Itachi-neesan. I'm just worried…" I bit my lip, "Most children die when their Genin, I don't want to be _another dead body. _I want…I want to protect you, and Kaa-san and To-san…I want to become big enough to protect all of my precious people. I…don't want to die._" _

"So don't." His face grew grim, "I don't ever want to bury you Sasuke, that's why we are here, taking our training early."

I still gnawed away at my bottom lip, "Hai, Hai neesan…I'll work hard."

Itachi poked my forehead, "You better, Ototo. Or else."

"Else what?"

"I'll bring you back from the dead and force feed you Dango."

My nose crinkled, "Eeew." Itachi laughed and curled an arm around me, "Your love for bitter foods is outrageous." He muttered under his breath.

"I _heard_ that!"

"Then you should know how ridiculous that adoration is!"

"It's _not_ adoration-It's a preference!"

"Sure, Sasuke. Is that why I found tomatoes leaves and origiri rice pieces in your room?"

"I-It's not like you're any better! All the dango sticks mysteriously disappear when Kaa-chan brings them home!"

"I won't even deny it."

Sasuke pouted,"You have no shame."

"You have no palate" Itachi insulted.

"I did! So what if it's bitter food?!"

"What kid doesn't like sweets?"

"ME!"

"That says a lot." Itachi said with a teasing smile, I tackled him.

"I'm _PERFECTLY_ normal neesan!" I whined.

He gave a large smirk, "I never said anything about normal."

"AHH!"

_Itachi can be so infuriating! _

…

Then it was _that day_, by then I had mastered my hand signs, completed my 'warm ups', mastered water-walking exercise-after explaining to mother how I ended up being splashed by the other kids while playing. (Seven days in a row, my family was starting to get suspicious….)

That morning I was super tired, I dragged my feet downstairs and poured myself a glass of milk (moo) My mother sat across the table watching while I spooned myself breakfast, "Sasuke?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what today is?"

"Mhhmm mm?"

"No, it's a big day."

"Hn?"

"Can't you guess?"

"Mmmphh"

"It's-"

My brother walked into the room "Happy birthday Sasuke!"

My spoon dropped, _huh? _

This was the moment were you were like-oh no, _ANOTHER_ year already?! It didn't feel like a year-honest to god it felt like eternity. But it was a year, _another year closer to them_. Another year closer to my fate.

I smiled unsurely, _crap. _"I didn't…realize…"

Itachi and Mikoto shared a glance, "Probably because you were so busy training and talking to the members of the clan."

That was true, I spent the other half of my time integrating myself well with the clan. I wanted to know them before they…kicked the bucket. I knew it was going to be a double edged sword, I knew I was just going to miss them all that more. But, Kisihimoto really did not do this world Justus. This clan was _huge, _not just in size but in reputation too. Everywhere you went in Konoha, there would be a small Uchiha sign on shops and such-a symbol that the Uchiha was far integrated into the village.

It was amazing, and it really wasn't any wonder that future Sasuke was famed throughout the village-he was a hero. A 'survivor', heir to the mighty Uchiha name.

But that's all it was.

A name.

I went through the motions of breakfast and lunch numbly. When I walked around the compound many of the clans members came up and hugged me, I had found out my mother had boasted about my birthday and gossip spread around the clan. (Apparently some of the older women had taken to calling me Sasuke-chibi. Great.) I got passed around with many hugs and handshakes and pats on the back.

My father nodded to me, (A silent happy birthday acknowledgement.) Then finally dinner came around, there was origiri, tomatoes and salad (I found it quite funny the canon Sasuke and I were alike in this aspect) and bitter onions (ones that I 'made up') –I noticed in the background Itachi wrinkled his nose slightly. _Ha. _

'_Sugar and spice make everything nice, but salt and pepper make the world go right.'_

"Arigato Kaa-san!"

My mother smiled softly at me, "Your Aunt and Uncle are coming over after dinner, and many family members dropped off gifts too." Oh. _Great. _

I didn't know about what the hell the clans members would get me, weapons? Toys? Books? Lightsabers? (I wish) Atomic Bombs?-_I wouldn't put it past the Uchiha._

Or perhaps…they'd get me more blocks and stuffed animals (stuffed with poison?)

Yes, as much as I loved my tightly knit clan-I didn't trust them. They gave out weapons like Grandma gave out ugly knitted sweaters each Christmas. Yeah.

'I agree, but you are exaggerating.'

'_Inner!' _

'No.'

"-uke? Sasuke?" "Hmm?" My head jerked up, my brother was staring wide eyes at me, his fingers poised two inches from my forehead. I glared at the impending fingers, "Yes?"

He smirked at my face and swiftly jabbed his finger to Iwa against my forehead. (Much like digging to China) "Ah!" I mumbled under my breath and rubbed my forehead. Canon Itachi and this Itachi were really, really similar.

The Poke of Doom.

"It's time for presents."

My family ignored my horrified face.

…

"From…Mother." I murmmered aloud as I sat next to the small dump of presents, I ripped the paper off, and blinked, then blinked again.

"_OhMyKami! Is this what I think it is?! OhMyKami! Kaa-san!" _

I couldn't help it, I had wanted this one book _so _bad once I had figured out which world I was in. So when I had went into the village I pretended to 'overhear' people talking about this 'great book.' So I had trailed my parents around begging for it, _and they found it. _

"Yes," My mother scratched the back of her head, "I think it has something like Four sales?-It was hard to find actually, had to special order it three months back…It's a wonder you even heard about it."

I held up my new copy of '_The Tale of a Gutsy Shinobi' _

_OhMyMotherLovingKami _I got Naruto's book!

It took all of my will power not to scream, just because I was stuck in a boy's body doesn't mean I didn't have girl tendencies. Though I admitted that they were fading over time.

I smiled wide, "Thank you Kaa-san." I jumped up and hugged her to me tightly.

I turned to the next gift, wrapped identically, it just said "Father." I looked up to my To-san and gulped inaudibly. I slowly peeled back the gift-treating the package as if it was a ticking bomb. A large chest sat proudly underneath it, curiously I unlatched it and looked inside. Inside the latch there was red silk tat tucked in the present underneath, I lifted it up and…once again just blinked. I pulled it out in the open, "Father?"

Fugaku crossed his arms over his chest, "It's your first set of armor." I looked down at the set in my arms, "Very few Uchiha tend to wear armor unless it is during Wartime, but I believe in keeping my sons safe." _And I know you are prone to training accidents, don't die before you make Genin. You're too awesome._

Those were the silent words that were spoken underneath …Er, not so sure about the last sentence. _Ha, _I laughed dryly in my mind, _the time when I realize my Father actually cares about me…He gives me battle armor._

'It's better than nothing.'

'_Point duly noted Inner.' _

I stood up and hugged his leg, "Thank you Father."

He grumbled a bit to himself then wrapped an arm around mine, "Take care of it." _Don't die._

"I will, Father." _I will not die. _

_'As long as you are alive…After I'm not so sure.' _

I sat back down and pulled another present towards me, (One I knew was my brother's) and read aloud his name.

I truly didn't know what Itachi would get me, it seems like me being here really showed me a different side of Itachi. He could be mysterious, ruthless, and caring all at one time. He could be mischevious and still get off while playing innocent, his emotions were almost a contradiction. Itachi was slowly changing though, I could tell, the more time he spent at the Academy the more he grew quitter. But all that raw emotion still played like a reel behind his eyes.

I was glad I knew him. Itachi had just graduated the Academy, though he went on open afternoons to train with other Genin and Students of the Academy. (another thing Kisimoto didn't elaborate on,) There were 'programs' at the Academy for sparring and teaching of different styles. While Itachi went on missions he could still go to the Academy for different types of lessons, specialized lessons.

In the Academy sometimes Genin, even Chunin would go to classes to see if they wanted to specialize in something or learn new jutsu. But these Archives and lessons were only available to those who had graduated.

So if you weren't a student anymore at the Academy…you were still a student. Itachi went for sparring often in the afternoons he had off, sometimes he'd tag me along and I'd watch from a distance.

One day soon…I'd pull my brother over one.

Unlike mother or father, Itachi had three gifts, (which I cocked a brow at) One was a large rectangle, the other a medium sized square and the other a very tiny rectangle.

I reached for the medium sized box first, I lifted up some of the contents, "They're chakra-blades." I jerked my head up, "Huh?!"

"Itachi…" My mother whispered, "Are you sure it is wise to give them those?"

My brother closed his eyes, "He does not know how to infuse chakra into things as of yet, however these are used in a different, yet intriguing Taijutsu style. While he may be young I believe that he should use this adept style in his techniques, it will suit him well."

Now, I was pretty sure that Canon Sasuke didn't have this-but I wasn't sure. Did Itachi have an _ulterior _motive to giving me _chakra_ blades? Why did he give them to me? _Does he know something of my practices? _

If Canon Sasuke DID have this it made sense as to why he never used them-his brother had killed the clan and this was a gift of his. Of course he wouldn't keep it, he'd probably fucking destroy everything of Itachi's.

I nodded my thanks and reached into the medium box again, this time I pulled out a red Dinosaur, (to go with the green one I had received as a baby.) I grinned and snuggled it (I had loved that green Dino and let everyone know it) I flicked my eyes over to my brother who was smiling softly.

"Oooh! Another to go with Green!" Kaa-san said clapping her hands happily.

I nodded –almost solemnly. "I'm going to call him…" Itachi didn't even hold his breath for my dramatic pause, "Red."

My family deadpanned, "I knew it" My brother muttered under his breath as he let out a soft smirk.

I just cheekily smirked at my brother and reached into the box once more, there were finger-exercising games, there was one with string that you knotted between your hands and unwound it quickly. Another assembling wooden blocks. Another where your hand was actually a part of the puzzle and it was up to you to wriggle your hands out.

Training, yes.

Then at the very bottom there was some light reading, only Itachi knew that I liked other legends too. Some that were true and false, I liked things aside from history and jutsu. He knew that I was interested in infamous shinobi and would take the time to sit down with me and tell the stories out he had heard when he was my age. People like the Ji of Jillia, or The Lady Hime of Earth Jutsu, or Tsukii the Tracker-just famous shinobi never mentioned in the Canon series.

Needless to say I expressed thanks profusely. He just gestured to the large box, curiously I ripped open the wrapping to find a cardboard box. Thinking nothing of it I cut it away to revel a fantastic-cardboard box.

I threw a suspicious look at my brother-who had thrown all smirks aside and was flat out grinning ear to ear. _Oh shit, now I'm scared. _

Itachi smiling.

Equals.

Run!

I gulped and cut another box away to see-another box. I narrowed my eyes, and cut again through the box. Then again. And again. And again. And again.

"_AAGH_! BROTHER!" My mother and Itachi were laughing at my frustrated expression while my father just smirked. "There's nothing in here is there?!"

Itachi just smiled through his teary eyes, "H-ah H-ah, just finish opening it up-"

I just scowled and continued, until I got to a rough shoe-sized box sealed with and easy seal. I broke the seal and peered in.

My face contorted into absolute indignation as I pulled it out-"Nee-San!"

"I saved the last one for you!"

It was a dango box, with. One. Dango Stick. Left.

And he gave it to me on my birthday.

_So that's how it goes, huh? _My gaze was narrowed and unwavering, _He'll regret this gag gift. Muhahaha!_

After the laughs died down, my brother handed me the last one. "It's not going to be some water shooting out at me when I open it is it…?" I asked him curiously turning it over, inspecting every corner.

Itachi put a hand to his chin, feigning thinking, "You know that's a decent idea."

I just shot him a flat glare and he smirked, I opened the box. Both eyebrows shot up.

It was a pendant. One much like the Canon Itachi had. _Sasuke never had a necklace like this in the show. What the hell is going on here? _

It was literally, three circles, except of just silver –like Canon Itachi's it was black with red on the inside. Almost like…_Blood. _

"In that necklace is a mixture of fine scents that would throw any tracker off for a loop, it's not just a piece of jewelry. It's supposed to keep you safe and hard to follow-I even have one-" He pulled out a silver necklace. _Canon Itachi's necklace. _"See? I found two of them, only one had the capability to throw off scents."

I looked curiously at the pendant, "Does yours do anything?"

Itachi nodded, "It scatters my chakra when I funnel my own chakra into it. Since you didn't know how to do that yet-and suppressing chakra works just as well as this."

I nodded, "Cool." I hugged my brother around the waist, "Arigato, Nee-san."

"Aaw," Mikoto clapped, "Now for the extended family gifts!"

I groaned.

…

Later I had Itachi's pendant wrapped around my neck and I was reading the 'Tale of a Gutsy Ninja,' Which was actually really _really_ good. I was surprised that not many people had read this-it was a good action flick. It really reminded me of Canon Naruto.

It was about a ninja who was a little on the strange side-a little stupid but had a ton of bravery and…well guts to do some of the things he did.

It didn't help that Naruto had the same personality traits as this Naruto and was named after the guy in this book. Jiraiya had forged the name from eating ramen at a ramen stand…So in a round a 'bout way Naruto was really named after Ramen…Fishcake.

I snorted into the book. It was supposed to have another meaning-maelstrom. But honestly 'Fishcake' was just too good. Can't you just hear them now, "We're in trouble. We ran out of Naruto's." "Wait-the hero or the fish?" "Both." "_Noooo!" "We're doomed man!"_

I was laughing behind my book at the day dream, my shoulders shaking with laughter.

Then the weasel walked in to the strange sight of seeing his brother having a laughing seizure-by himself- on the ground. He raised a thin brow, "Sasuke?"

I stopped snorting like a pig, "Hmm?"

"Would you like me to demonstrate how to use the chakra blades?"

I nodded my head eagerly. Canon Sasuke never had this opportunity.

We went out in the backyard, Itachi concentrated his chakra into the blades and they lit up with a blue crackling glow. I stared in awe, "When you learn to concentrate chakra you will learn how to do t_his." _ He threw the blade into the rock and it buried itself up to the hilt. It was like Canon Asuma's blades but they looked nothing like his, they looked like normal kunai except with little groves, so it was more like a star shape. But from my past life, I recognized what those groves were for. Those groves were for maximum damage, so they wounds wouldn't close up. If you didn't kill the guy first it was more often than not he would bleed to death later (unless a healer was close by.)

It was nasty, it was war.

Itachi showed me simple stances of throwing kunai. He set up multiple targets and aimed for each one. He hit bulls eye. He positioned himself behind me so I could aim properly…I didn't even hit the target.

I never thought of kunai and shuriken much other than when I was playing with blunt or wooden ones, though Canon Sasuke was supposed to be quite adept at using them. I idly wondered if I would be.

I had hit the first ring of the target when I just collapsed. "Nee-san!" I gasped, sweat rolling down my face in waves. He chuckled at my young form, "Good work today Ototo."

I nodded and let my hair fall back in the dirt.

"Arigato." I murmured, playing with one of the 'special' kunai in the hand. "…Why did you give this too me?" I curiously asked my brother slouching in the grass.

"You're smart," He said confidently, "I didn't need to worry about you hurting yourself with it, I need to worry about you hurting yourself training with it." He gave me a hard stare, "Training yourself into the ground is very unhealthy Sasuke. You don't need a burn out this early."

My eyes slid away from him, he just didn't know. His hand came up to rest on my head, "I can tell you'll do well out there Sasuke, now all you need is confidence…In yourself."

My lips quirked as I looked down, "Thank you, brother."

The year rolled past like wind caressing the leaves in the trees. It idly passed by with days of training, making Origiri reading and spending time with Itachi.

But that time still came too soon for me.

It was time to go to the Academy.

* * *

Chapter Five everybody! so alot happened this chapter...mainly childhood. Yes, I wanted to write about childhood, but I didn't want to stretch it ot fo forever. So next will be childhood...with the Academy.

I think this was my longest chapter...ever. It's almost as many words as all the chapters so far. It took a little more than a week but in the end I hope you are glad for the wait. I wrote alot, I was also really busy this week...I got back into swimming a whole bunch of other things. I'm also taking a lifeguarding course, in hopes to get a job this sumer or next.

I apologise for any mistakes, I got so tired I only did few corrections on few pieces here and there on the story. I got lazy, yes, but I did alot this week and I'm tired and impatient. Sorry-Sorry.

I also swear, even if you are the slightest bit confused, everything will come together in a short while-a few chapters. Everything- the words, the dreams, everything. I have a rough plan on how it goes-I think you'll be surprised. It will START coming together after the massacre. That's when Sasuke's Influence will start changing many things. for good...and worse.

Anyway, aren't OC's supposed to be hunted down like rabid animals? I'm guess I'm really happy you guy's like OC Kelly. Haven't got any flames yet...so thank you.

Question of the Chapter:

If you could arm yourself with any weapon and use it like an expert-what would you use?

I would use a lightsaber. (Yeah!) Because they are awesome and the people who didn't know what the hell one was I could just say, "Hey wanna see it?" Have them stand in front of me then BAM! Oops, well, you should have known what a lightsaber was!

Preview to next chapter:

"Your breath smells like rotten meat." "W-Well y-yours too...U-Uchiha!"

...

Reviews are love, people. I need lots of love, I'm so lonely with a (rough) 1500 word chapter :,( (Muhahaha)


	6. Seeing is Different from Meeting

_"Friendship is_

_A single soul_

_Living in two bodies"_

_-Aristotle_

Chapter 6: Seeing is Different From Meeting

_Teenage Kelly was in her room doing homework from school that morning. She stretched and leaned back, "Gosh-I need a break from this stupid essay." She yawned, then sighed. Why did she pick the essay that compared how much pressure the femur bone could take compared to the tibia? Now she was stuck explaining the physics behind the human body, the muscles and the fucking tendons behind it. As much as she loved medicine…she didn't love it that much. _

_Kelly liked to write, or, more specifically write songs. It was a method of therapy for her, a method to the madness. She loved getting her thoughts out on paper in lyrical form. She wasn't the best, she knew, but she loved doing it. That is what the real importance of a hobby is, isn't it? You have to have a love for it, it doesn't really matter who is the best and who is the worst at a hobby. You just have to have thrall for it. _

_Kelly tapped her pen against her lip, "Hmm." Brightening up she grabbed her acoustic guitar, lyrics for her just came more smoothly when she played. She flipped the switch of her recorder and started to strum. _

_She hummed to herself when she played the guitar, making up little tunes and pieces them together like a puzzle. She thought that this, this music-this freedom to do what she pleases, this was art. _

_"Painted across the night sky…" She strummed to herself absently after that. Loving the way her fingers danced over the strings, "Forever and a day,"_

_She thought of her boyfriend, Todd. He had just proposed to her. Todd was…Sketchy at best, even Kelly admitted it to herself. But he had enough compassion and upbringing to want to help her raise their child. Kelly paused and palmed her flat stomach. She didn't know how she was going to continue college up until the pregnancy, being a mother in college would be hard. Especially since she hadn't had planned for it. But she couldn't bring herself to hate the child, Kelly had always been a (bit) maternal with children, though it was not her intention, the prospect of a child excited her. _

_She hadn't even met her child, didn't even think of names or anything yet. But she knew she loved the infant growing in her belly. "Forever and a day,"( I will love you) "My love, my love, my darling." She hadn't told her mother yet, but Kelly knew that would be a storm in the horizon. Her mother was by the book, hated any type of party at all. When Kelly had turned to partying in college she scoffed and told her she was trying to get and MRS. Degree. That wasn't true at all. Alcohol dealt with all that nasty paperwork and stress. She only had went out on weekends, though admittedly, she always snuck alcohol into her room. She loved a nice cold beer when she was working. "A million years away," She mumbled. She honestly had wanted to become a doctor, wanted to help people. While becoming a mother wasn't her goal in college, she knew that she had wanted to be one later on. She would have to protect her future child with everything she had from judging eyes, "I'll watch over you, today my darling love."_

_"Whatever comes tomorrow, begins with today. I'll still be there beside you." The words rolled off her tongue like a waterfall. Sure, she could spice up the lyrics make them nice and pretty, but these had raw meaning to her. She liked them. "Even when the storms turn grey and cloudy, when the winds become a vehement foe, I'll be beside you." It was kind of like a vow, a promise of protection, of love, of loyalty. "-Guiding the way. My love, my love my darling." Her hands paused again, tears welling in her eyes. What would happen now? Would she have to drop out of college and get a dead end job? She winced, she had wanted to become a doctor her entire life._

_But if she had to do what she had to do. She knew that raising a kid would be tough. _

_But she was also excited. _

_She wasn't sure where Todd would fit in on all of this, yes, they were going to get married. But would they be happy? Kelly snorted, she didn't delude herself, they may have loved each other, but it wasn't Hollywood. Not even close. She knew from her girlfriends he was a cheater, she knew. She didn't believe for a second that he'd change for her. They never changed, but still, Kelly kept a tight leash on him, she loved him despite knowing all of this. He made her laugh and smile at his jokes, he was quite charming and good looking. Todd…"Forever and a day, remember this my love, remember this day: Painted across the night sky, forever and a day" She thought of her mother, "A million years away, today my darling hue." Her mind imagined all the things her child would be, her eyelashes fluttered shut, just letting her fingers wash over the notes, "I'll watched over you today. And whatever comes tomorrow," She thought of the sunset evening Todd had proposed to her "splash in the of colors of the sky, today my darling hue I'll be beside you." She thought of the hate and struggle she'd face at being a young mom, "Even when the flood turns in and fire licks your feet-I'll guide your way. Beside of you." She returned to the top, "Painted across the night sky, forever and a day, forever and a day…" She murmured softly "My love, my love, my darling." _

_She'd be loyal to her purpose, be a mother, then a student. For she had learned that abandoning your loved ones was the worst sin that carried the worst pain._

_Loyalty._

"Ototo."

"_Ngghh_." Sasuke was stuck in the dreams of Kelly.

"_Ototo_."

"Ngh!"

"Ototo, wake up!" Sasuke felt a muffled hand trying to shake him awake, _No_, not yet! He wanted a few more minutes in happiness, in bliss…where he was Kelly, beautiful, _safe_, Kelly.

"Ngghhhhh guhg 'whay…"

"Sasuke…It's time for you to go to the Academy."

"_Mggduuhh_…"

"Alright fine, but you brought this upon yourself."

Unconsciously Sasuke knew his brother just spoke dangerous fighting words, but he couldn't bring himself to care.

Footsteps could be heard walking away, Young Sasuke drifted off as his prison-like dreams faded and turned into a peaceful darkness. He slept peacefully, sprawled out on his comforter in red pajamas snuggled up to Green and Red Dinosaurs.

Yes, proud mental adult woman he really was, he loved those cute things to death. He snuggledup to them and they became his comfort, his rely on pillow-

Then Sasuke felt _cold_, freezing water being dumped all over him.

"_AAH_!" I trashed in bed trying to escape the blinding temperature, and fell to the floor dripping wet. My smug brother stood over me with tall (empty) glass of water in his hands. Eyes went wide, for a second I didn't know where I was then, "_ITACHI_!"

"Time for the Academy." He smirked.

"You didn't have to wake me up l-…like _that_!"

"You are a deep sleeper, how else was I supposed to arouse you?"

_That sounds really wrong. _I mused quietly to myself, then frantically thought, _think clean thoughts! Think clean thoughts! That's not what he meant! Think clean thoughts!_

_…..Shit. _

_'_You are sick.'

_'Inner, I'm technically a woman. I may be in a child's body, but I have hormones drilled into me like a marching band on the Fourth of July."_

'Sick, _sick_.'

_'Hey, I didn't mean to be stuck in this body! I'd be perfectly fine __dead__!'_

"Ototo, you're spacing out again." My brother bopped me on the head and leaned his face inches from mine.

"!"

I jumped back shocked, I didn't even see him move! My cheeks colored and puffed up, "Y-you don't have to be _right_ there!" It was only around my brother I expressed indignation. Future Massacres or not, something about him made me seem so…clumsy.

Maybe Itachi just had that effect on people.

My brother smirked again and rolled his eyes at me, "I'll walk you to school today."

I gasped in horror and anticipation, _that's right! Today's my first day…_

Then I had another thought _screw_ _sixteen going on Twenty one, Academy Student then Orochimaru._

_Then the horrors of the Shinobi world, death, suicide, sacrifice-war. Murder, Massacre, Torture, Rape. (Though rape is a form of torture.) Snakes and Spiders….Pfft sixteen going on Twenty One doesn't have any claim to this,_

I inwardly shuddered as I changed into a black turtle neck, I was like most women from my old home-world. I had been afraid of spiders- I didn't care if it was pathetic. I didn't care if I was a million times bigger than them and they kept the bug population of a minimum- they were fucking _creepy. _(I guess this means Shino and I won't be the best of friends. Honestly it's humiliating to say, whenever I thought of him I saw the Naruto Abridged when he'd stand up and say '_I like bugs_!' in a really constipated voice. Of course I knew he wasn't like that at all, that in fact he was a brilliant individual, but it was ashamedly the first thing that came to mind. I actually respected his kikaichu, but the story had also shown he had an affinity with all bugs. Arachnophobia does not mix well with this. Other insects are perfectly okay.)

The connection to spiders, snakes, and the Academy was-Spiders I placed in the category with snakes, the _creepy _category. Nice harmless garden snake? Nice pet dude! Anaconda? HOLY FUCK GET IT AWAY FROM ME.

Yeah, Orochimaru and I were going to be the best of buds. Especially if I had to 'train' under him.

Spiders and Snakes I would avoid at the Academy. If I ever had to face a Harry-Potter Spider I would just…calmly (_freak out_) and walk (_run_) away.

I would have to deal with these horrors in the Shinobi world.

Along with Snakes and Spiders.

"Sasuke?" My mother stood at my door, peering at me quizzically. I realized I had been glaring at my own reflection, "O-oh! Good morning Kaa-san!"

"Are you all right? –What were you doing?" A dark look flickered over my face, _spiders…snakes…_

Thinking quickly I gestured to my brush, "My hair is messed up!" I pouted cutely, the wonders of being a little kid.

Giggling, my mother took up the brush as started on my hair. (Ow.)

"So are you excited for your first day?" She asked me happily (Ow.) I tried to keep my winces in as she worked through my messy locks.

"Yes." _No. _"I'm afraid that the children won't like me." _I'm afraid about the future._

Mikoto paused, Sasuke might have been a child, but he was an Uchiha and they rarely said the word afraid. (Too bad Kelly never paid attention to her Father's 'Uchiha Manner' lessons. But if she did, perhaps her fears of snakes and spiders would wind down.)

She came to the conclusion that her son was really worried about this, "Why wouldn't they like you?" She practically purred, "You are a good kid."

_A good kid that will do bad things. _"Yeah…"

Mikoto ran the brush over my head again (Ow.) "You'll be fine." She concluded.

If my mother were anyone else she would have sugar coated it, dumped it in chocolate then put sprinkles on it. (Yuck.)

"You are there to learn anyhow, so even if they do not like you concentrate on your studies." While I fully agreed with her, something in that comment made me the slightest bit irritated. Those children-any of them-especially now that I am here-those children will one day be my comrades. My comrades or (If they failed or dropped out) the people I protect in Konoha.

I couldn't just ignore them (no matter how much the original Sasuke did.) I had to make _some_ effort. But on the other hand I couldn't utilize _too_ much effort.

But that brought up another subject, Studies.

I was actually quite curious of what courses were at the Academy. My brother had told me all sorts of classes were there, first was the mandatory classes. The mandatory classes consisted of my old school stuff, literature, science (mainly physics, from the limited paperwork I have seen in this world), History, and Mathematics.

Five other hours were segregated to learn about chakra and other Shinobi ways. Like weapons, ninjutsu, genjutsu, Taijutsu. These were actually split in two way days, First would come all the basics –History, Maths, Science, Literature- then in the afternoon Shinobi training.

Plus on top of that, Sparing at the very end of the day. A workout too-one that consisted of some light jogging and pushups. Nothing to extreme, but enough to pass to make Genin (eventually.) It was nothing like Clan workouts, mainly, none of that was too extreme with an enraged PMS-ing father pissing his load on your head.

Damn Fugaku. Damn Father.

All in all-it started at Seven O'clock and ended at Four in the afternoon. Smack dab in the middle was a half hour break for lunch or recess, some kids used it for both, or time to get homework done.

But no wonder why becoming a ninja was such a hard thing for the civilian families!-You had to have shit load of perseverance! I smirked privately to myself as I pulled on my shirt and shorts, I was already used to the hours from my old schooling system, I was pretty confident.

(I wonder if there is homework? Ninja homework!)

On top of all that you 'could' stay after school, though at our age there were two programs 'available' to the children.

For girls-Kunochi classes.

For guys-Strength/Endurance Training

They 'weren't' technically mandatory but everyone knew if you wanted to pass you had to take them.

Sexism at its best. _(Worst.) _

For once I was glad I wasn't a girl/woman. Honestly Kunochi classes would bore me to death. Sure, the flower thing was kind of cool-but they were also being decentralized to _sex_.

Good Kunochi knew how to use everything at their advantage-even their bodies. This concept…was a bit sickening to me, coming from where I did. Sex to me wasn't something you threw around, sure, I partied, but I stayed faithful. But I couldn't see they're point of view on sex, I wasn't from this culture. Many of the failed Genin ended up as networking spies, some of them ended up in Brothels-at least the orphans who didn't have a family did. The orphans went to brothels, or travelers, or became villagers- the family kids (or clan children) would just become a civilian. They had their futures set for them.

And there were many, _many_ orphans. I would bet there was an orphan here for each house in Konoha. -There are _hundreds_ of homes in Konoha. But some were shinobi, whose parents died in war. I had never seen so many…parentless children. It made me depressed, that seeing an orphan child without parents, being a normal occurrence.

This place is supposed to be the most peaceful out of all of them. _It makes me shudder to think what other countries are like. _

That this is their reality.

You make it or break it. One shot. A half a second, could mean life or death.

In my world, war was sanctioned to other countries. My world had mass factories-this world had farmers. (Of course my world had farmers, but they had machines to help them produce much _much_ faster.)

Reality was harsh. As cheesy as it sounded…it really was a slap to the face.

Kunochi…Knew that. The girls trained for it, calmly waited the approach though sometimes they knew something was coming. They just didn't know _what_.

The thing I didn't understand was why they had to learn about cooking, singing, dancing. Most learned even learned this at the orphanage. X-ranked Missions that used seductions were shortened to Lipstick Missions. It was slang used to cover up the truth of it. Assassinations, spying, seduction, sex.

Truthfully it made me very, very glad I didn't have to deal with it. In fact, I had learned most of what they were learning in a past life anyways. Cooking, singing, dancing. (Not assassinations. Though those were coming too soon.)

(I was interested in the flowers and poisons, I decided to consult to a herbology book. Because, well, I still had girl in me. I loved botany and gardening. Poisons and Plants were just a bonus.)

Strength training and Endurance training would be much like what Itachi had started me out on when we had started out training. I expected to be ahead of most the class already because of that similar training.

Most of the Clan children would have had similar training to me, so I expected them to excel more than the others. As unfair as it was, it was the truth. Clan kids got their life served on silver platters.

Most of the time. (Sometimes pure pressure can break a child. It was rough all the way around. Hinata, Neji…me.)

But the civilian's kids wouldn't have that experience. They also…didn't have that raw pressure of becoming the best. In a way…I was almost envious. I would have loved to be a civilian child-hell I didn't even know if I wanted to be a ninja!

If I had a choice in the first place.

Sure I wanted to change things for the better, but I was in _Sasuke's_ body wasn't I? (Don't say I beat Orochimaru in taking Sasuke Uchiha's body. That's just wrong.)

Sasuke Uchiha _had_ to be a ninja. It was simply predestined. (Don't go all Neji on me, I don't mean it like that.) He was a Clan Head's son, and he had been a survivor of the Massacre. He had to carry on the Uchiha pride and honor (saving face for the 'glorious' clan after all.) He sharpened Naruto to become something _more_. He survived Orochimaru, Akatsuki Fourth Shinobi War. If I wasn't a ninja, I'd be dead-not necessarily by Orochimaru, but by people who wanted the Uchiha Money, or by Shinobi who wanted to mess with the last heir-or just wanted revenge on so and so this date.

Maybe not knowing the future of this world, I would have given being a ninja a shot. If I didn't make it, oh well, If I did? Awesome.

But I knew everything. I knew this world wasn't all fun and games and it was downright _scary_.

…Far deep inside of me…I had a stirring resentment for that choice being stolen from me. That choice of not being able to _choose_. (I'd kill the motherfucker that put me here.)

My breath suddenly hitched as my brother scooped me up on his back and wrapped my arms around his neck. I was grateful for the silence, because inwardly I was fretting.

"Stop brooding Sasuke. It's your first day you should be excited,"

I deadpanned, "I'm not _brooding_, brother. I don't _brood_." I also wanted to avoid the reason of why I was so mellow.

"Sure you don't."

My father next to my brother became serious, "you need to be more alert when being a shinobi, spacing out as much as you is dangerous and unbecoming of a Uchiha. It makes you an easy target."

I peered down over my brother's hair, "I never thought about it that way…" It was true, I was used to alone time, thinking. "Most of the time I use it to plan…" That and nerves.

Itachi nodded, "Strategies are good, but you must be alert if a ninja strikes while you are so enveloped in your thoughts." Itachi had become mellow lately, flattening out his smiles like an iron on wrinkles. His speech pattern was slowly changing.

I had a good idea what it was too, it was reality-slamming its door on his weasel nose. No longer was he a person, in the village's eyes, but an _obstacle_ for his _comrades_.

I was also 'spacing out so much' because I was nervous.

Had my presence changed Naruto? Hell-Anyone? What if I made things much worse than they already were?

What if just by being here, Naruto was _evil_? (No, literally.) The world would be fucking doomed if he becomes evil. For instance, what if Naruto was like how Gaara was before he got the crap beaten out of him? Sakura- what if _she_ was evil? She would be a fearsome opponent to come across. What if Kakashi is 'dead' instead of Obito? Or hell-what if they switched places? (Obito was bad enough-almost unpredictable, but can you picture _Kakashi _in his place? That man is scary efficient and is an absolute genius.)

Just by being here, everything could be messed up.

If a butterfly flaps it's wings a hurricane could be stirred on the other side of the world.

This point scared the crap out of me. _I hate the fucking chaos theory, screw my life. I want a refund._

But a small voice whispered in the back of my mind, '_What if there is someone like you out there?'_

_What if there's someone like me out there? Someone reincarnated-someone who is going through the same thing as I. Surely I cannot be the only one?_

_The only occurrence?_

_Why am I here?_

_More importantly, why am I only thinking of this __**now**__?_

_…..I fucking hate thinking backwards._

'Don't get your hopes up, loser. There was no chance you were here by accident.'

That made me pause, '_What do you mean, Inner?' _

'Idiot. You, a Twenty Five year old woman, ends up in a _different_ universe that you just _happen_ to know _everything_ about. You also _happen_ to inhabit one of the 'main character's' _body_. You think this is a _coincidence_, loser? You're _senseless_.'

'_Thanks bastard. I didn't ask to be put in this body. If I had a choice to be reincarnated in this world, I would be a Nara. Not the 'Great' Sasuke Uchiha.' _

_'_Hn, I don't see what is so great about them.'

My mind exploded with serious outrage '_Asshole! They're freaking awesome!" _I let myself inwardly get temporarily lost in the fantasies of being reincarnated as a super cool Nara._ "Anyways-I know that this isn't a coincidence. It makes me wonder why I'm in this body in the first place. I have a few theories actually...' _

_'_And_?'_

_'I'm getting there, my first theory is that in slim hell this IS an accident.'_

The voice snorted.

'_If it is I want to sue. So shut up!' _I shouted in my head, embarrassed_. 'My second theory is-is that when I died my body was somehow thrust into yours-then because my spirit needed a body it clung to one that wasn't even birthed yet, Sasuke's body.' _Why Sasuke's though? There must have been a thousand other babies born at the same time in different dimensions…Unless his spirit was the strongest mine could latch onto? God, I murdered a child unknowingly…

'Possible. But insanely so, guess again idiot.'

'_My third guess is far scarier than the other two. So much so I don't want to believe it is real.'_

_'_Stop with the dramatics, get on with it.'

_'I'm just getting in my grove! Shut up bastard!' _…I even pulled the dramatic flare out-he saw right through me! This Inner is good!

'Loser.'

_'I think that's your favorite word.' _I stated sarcastically, '_Yay for you supreme vocabulary level.'_

'You act worse than a six-year old.'

_'I _am_ a six year old!' _

'Right, because you are a mentally inferior being.'

_'Oh so you have a superiority complex, Mr. I copy Neji, I see…Let me grab you a tissue on your way out ya insensitive freak.' _

'See what I mean? Idiot.'

_'Oh, go get prescription for that PMS of yours.' _

'Whatever. Your third theory?'

'_Y-your just going t_-? Whatever, _Bastard_. _My third theory is that someone from this world sealed me inside of your mother. Someone who knew her-someone who could get close to her.' _

_'_Why you?' the voice said bluntly, 'Why did they seal _you_ inside of her stomach? You weren't anything special...Not to mention…how?'

_'Ouch. Stomp on my heart why don't you?' _I paused_ 'I don't think they really cared if I was me or not-it could've been anybody. But it has to be someone who knew of the future and wanted a change. Why else would they mess with a newborn?' _

'Ninja Tools. Something you have yet to learn.'

'_I know but…but it's so sick.' _A short silence '_Who'd _want_ to do that to Sasuke Uchiha?(Nevermind me?) What intentions did they hope to gain?...Allegience?'_

_'_You'll do wonderfully in Konoha, pansy_.' _The voice growled in my head.

_'Oh, I'm sorry, did I hurt your ego? Do you need a band aid?"_

_"Bitch._'

"-To, Ototo…Ototo?" "Huh?" I swung my head around

"You're spacing out-a_gain."_

"Sorry Neesan." Father leveled me a warning glare. _I think I'm slightly crazy. I'm hearing voices in my head. _

Wait, weren't the crazy people the ones who insisted they _weren't_ crazy?I think I'm safe…

I almost face palmed, _not in Sasuke Uchiha's body I'm not!_

Itachi smiled a little and ruffled my hair, "We're…here."

"Ne?" I looked around, there was a crowd of parents and children chatting away. _I wonder if I will have Iruka as my teacher?_

My brother shook his head with a hopeless look, "Pay attention." My mother next to me gently smiled as I was set on the ground.

"I _know_." I groaned half-heartedly. Learning to pay attention would probably be one of my most difficult notions to learn.

My mother and father left me to my own devices (Big mistake) while they went to look for a chunin to get my class schedule, I just stuck my little hands into my white shorts and bobbed my head around. Everywhere children were departing from their loving parents, I couldn't help but think, _will I miss this in a few years?_

"Sasuke," My brother beckoned me over, he was standing with another man, one that looked vaguely familiar… "Neesan?"

He smirked and put a hand on my shoulder, "I want to introduce you to your new teacher."

I double took and looked at him more closely, he looked so familiar…It was right on the tip of my tongue.

"I expect you to be on your _best_ behavior this year, Sasuke." An odd glint came to the teachers eyes, "We don't want any more interesting 'training tests' do we?"

Horror came over my face, _dark hair, scar over the eye…_

_No way…_

_This is the chunin I pranked! _

At the downright dismay on my face my brother smirked and the chunin's sadistic smile seem to gleam more evilly.

_Aw, fuck Karma!_

I gulped unsurely, "H-Hai….sensei…" I could just imagine my…sensei looming over me with a pitchfork and bringing me my doom, while my brother snickered in the background with a forked tongue and a diamond-head tail.

_But shouldn't I have had Iruka? _

Truth be told I didn't know what Iruka taught, usually one chunin would teach all subjects for the entire year. But did they last every year at the academy? Or did they switch up every year?

_Maybe I will get him? It's only the first year after all._

Or had I just changed things? Maybe…I changed things and was put in this class on purpose _because_ of the prank I pulled? (Maybe bastard-sensei pulled strings.)

I just _had_ to be in Iruka's class. If I wasn't I'd just keel over.

I looked at the new joining students of this year, which were surprisingly a lot. The yard were teeming with the little brats (I knew I was a brat myself but it was so much fun calling them that. I take privileges being their older senior, _Twenty five years older _to be specific.)

(But what Twenty Five year old woman be entering the ninja equivalent to preschool in a brat's body?)

(No one that's who…At least I hope it doesn't occur often, or else I'm pretty sure some people are going to sue.)

(Sue who? Is the question.)

(Fate. Fuck it all, I'm taking this shit to court.)

The Academy went _all_ year at a rapid rate. Only we had _nichiyōbi days _off. It was the Japanese 'Sunday.' The seventh day of the week was taken off for Academy students.

Needless to say those days we had tedious projects and crap. Not to mention a lot of the Clan's put their children through hours of training those days, but they also did it during the week too.

But the _nichiyobi _were the _worst. _I knew this only because my father had spoken about what we'd do those days and how'd he _extend _those extra days of training. He also felt the need to _demonstrate_ what the training (torture) would be _like_.

If I thought my brother was a demon, my father was the _devil_. He wanted me to do twice the amount of laps around the compound, twice the amount of all my training.

The first day I couldn't even do it. I collapsed. He just walked away to, disappointed.

I was even trying my _hardest_.

It seemed that because Itachi was impossibly skilled, that my skill would always be overshadowed-Twenty Five year old woman possessing a boy's body or not. I may be 'smarter' than the average 'kid,' but I still couldn't put a _shine_ on Itachi.

A small, dark part of me resented my father for this parenting. He-I would _never_ treat Samantha like this-family be damned! Honor be fucked!

It was like the sports tournaments all over again, parents screaming at kids to do better when they tried as hard as they could…until they just…broke.

They didn't care.

But being a ninja, you _had_ to care.

It was your _life_. Not your _sport_.

But still…there were better ways to go about it. _But perhaps_, another part whispered, _it is all Fugaku knows. _The Uchiha could be a bunch of emotionless zombies. He literally insulted me with all of his knowledge, ("Sasuke you'll _never_ be a Shinobi with _that_ kind of form in your kata! Get up, do it over." "I thought your brother said you were _good_ at this." "Sasuke, you are an Uchiha. Act like one, instead of a knuckleheaded idiot. Get off the ground, _never_ fall when you are facing an opponent?") sure, I was holding back, (at least for the chakra molding bit) but I made sure I showed _potential_. Sure, I may have acted childish at times, but to call me an idiot? This is what Sasuke had to go through? He was _a four year old_ for god's sake!

"All right!" A another random chunin waved us over, "Line up over here!" I felt like grabbing my brother's leg until they _dragged_ me in the fucking place.

I parted with my brother and parents, to join the children. On my way to I saw the Akimichi's, (mainly because they towered above the crowd, but I coulldn't see their son. I saw a tuff of blond hair (Inoichi?) and A black haired male with to claw like scratches down the right side of his face, (IT'S A NARA EVERYBODY! Shikaku.) _Why can't I see their miniatures_?! Damn adults for getting in my way!

We were filed into a sitting space outside, where the Third Hokage was standing on a platform smoking his pipe, his hands clasped tightly behind his back. Behind him was the Hokage Monument standing proudly in the glittering sun.

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking for other 'Rookie Nine' kids. I figured they'd be easy to spot, pink hair, neon orange, triangle tattoos? But no, the masses of children were just _overwhelming_. I didn't expect there to be sheer numbers in children. I gritted my teeth frustrated at everything, if I was at an adult's height-this would be a piece of cake! There had to be at _least_ a hundred to two hundred kids here. They did _not_ depict this in many kids in the anime, they must have either all dropped out before graduation or went off into different branches of shinobi life.

Maybe Konoha's bigger than I thought it was?

Or maybe the inhabitants just go at it like a pair of rabbits.

The Hokage watched us all with calculating eyes, looking at each one of us as we filed in (which was an impressive feat), then our families behind us gathered in the background.

I didn't like his stare.

He was…sorting us, calculating the ones who'd survive and the ones he'd feed to the piranha's. (Ninja's, Civilian school, Lipstick missions, genocide… ya know-all that good stuff.)

"We are all gathered here today to welcome the upcoming generation of Konoha." He started taking his pipe out of his mouth. _Oh no, _dreadful thoughts filled my mind space, _he's going to do a long, boring speech! I can't take lectures! Ah!_ "It is said that with hard work comes endurance." He opened up, "With all Shinobi this is very true…"

"In Konoha, if you break a single arrow, it shall be easy to snap. However try to break a bushel of arrows it simply isn't possible." _What's with all the dramatic effect going on here? _I swung my head around, _every_ kid on the block was eating it up. _He's not even into the speech yet! "_Alone we can do little, but united we stand as one blazing fire."

Pointy arrows and raging fire.

He's just asking for trouble isn't he?

But seriously, I doubted he even expected most of the kids to remember this

"What makes a ninja a good ninja is the path they set themselves upon. What makes a _great_ ninja is the path they walk upon, modify and change for the rest of their lives. Ninja who understand this, who _fight_ for it, understands what it is like to be a _true_ Shinobi." These words made me pause, impressed, _This guy is..kinda cool…going around sounding so wise like that.…No wonder why he's so old._

He was a lot more pug-like then Kakashi's dog Pakkun was. I inwardly squealed and reveled at the thought of the adorable pup (_not_ old man Hokage.)

"-As long as one bears the will of fire, each and every one of those who live in this village are family."

Everyone looked up to him that moment, he was the idol, and the one everyone aspired to be like. _Shit, what'd I miss? Pakkun's future cuteness is distracting me! _

_But personally, _I couldn't help but thinking,_ I prefer the quote-'individually we are one drop but together we are an ocean.' But whatever suits your dress is fine with me. _I looked at the Hokage's uniform with a critical eye, _someone could mistake that as a dress. _Namely, me.

I had gotten over the Hokage's presence after the prank I pulled at the academy (not his _chakra_, but his _presence_) But God of Shinobi be damned, his inaction led to the downfall and corruption of The Leaf. He could have prevented _so_ many things if he just sifted around for information more. _So_ much was going on behind his back, it wasn't even funny.

Mainly, _Danzo_. But other things as well.

It didn't mean I didn't respect him as a fellow Shinobi, not at all. He was very _very_ strong, something I couldn't _dream_ I'd match up too. But because he was a strong Shinobi, didn't mean he made a good Hokage. He was better than any other at the time, but in times like this the one we really needed was Minato, or Tsunade. What I meant was he was a good Hokage for _war_, a good Hokage for _strategy_, but it was like he had no idea what to do in times of _peace_. He put…too much faith in people, and I was sure if there was a war going on at this moment he'd be _excellent_ in sending out the right troops.

But Minato was out of my reach and Tsunade was still a drunk grandma. (Can you imagine her as a grandmother? I pity the poor kid. "More sake!" "O-Obaa-san t-there is no more sake _left_." "WELL GO GET IT IDIOT!" *Punch* "AAH C-CHILD A-ABUSE!" "I'll show you _child abuse_!" *Punch* *punch* *punch* "Don't forget my sake on your way out." "Ow…" *Sniffle* "This is why I hate kids…")

Okay, _maybe_ it _wouldn't_ go that way. But I could see a lot of parodies like it. (This is where your prayers are answered. You don't have a psychotic grandmother.)

The Hokage finished up the rest of his speech by introducing all the chunin (I saw Iruka!), and the children and I stood up and started to file away into the classroom. (Do I count as a child for that matter?) I caught my mother's and father's gaze and nodded politely at them, letting them know I'd be okay from here on out. To Itachi I sent a grin, which the corner's of his eyes crinkled up.

(I _really_ hope I do, I don't want to be seen a child molester.)

(Like Orochimaru.)

(I did what Orochimaru never could do.)

(I got '_Sasuke-kun's'_ body! _AAAAIII_ This is _so_ creepy!)

(I really am a child molester! _NOOO_!)

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Huh?" I jerked from my thoughts, the chunin from my class fixed me a glare. The class laughed at my incredulous look, "Take a seat there." My cheeks reddened a bit, _Fuck, so long good impressions. _He smiled politely and pointed to a desk and I sat down at the desk closest to the front, nearest to the window. (Damn it I was going to sit in the back! So I could read and pay attention to the kids!)

(_God_, though I meant it to sound like I was looking for Rookie Nine, it _really_ sounded like I was a grade-A creeper. I should just go die. –_properly_. This time.)

I muttered glumly to myself, the teacher was seating kids in weird patterns. I looked around curiously, there was about forty kids in this classroom. It started to turn my brain on, _why are there so many kids in the class? _

I came to a horrible conclusion.

_It's to take them out._ Forty kids one teacher, how many questions could the teacher answer? The kids who were struggling wouldn't get any help from the outside, there would be no help from the teacher. So if you needed help you had to find it, probably outside of the Academy if all teachers would be as busy as our Chunin we got. From the gec-ko they were starting to thin the waters.

Trying to separate the ones who'd be shinobi and who'd be civilians.

A boy with spiky brown hair was directed to sit next to him, I paid him no mind. I was lost in my thoughts, and didn't even feel him sit down. (Something I had to work on majorly, I thought I had chakra sensitivity or something?)

"Hey." I flashed my eyes over to the kid who greeted me with a grin, he had narrowed slitted eyes and a roundish face. (Hell, we all have roundish faces, we're six! Can you say the joys of baby fat anyone?)

I turned to study him closely, _you know he really looks like-_

_"BLLURCCH." _I blinked what must've been a thousand times my face entirely slack from shock, dimly I noticed the horrified look on the kids face.

Did that _brat_ just _burp_ in my face?

I narrowed my eyes, this is war, brat!

"I-I'm _so_ sorry! I didn't mean-"

"Your breath smells like rotten meat." I hissed angrily, my feathers ruffled. It was a low pathetic come back, but I was always terrible at those. T-The kid just burped in my face! _Disgusting_! I may have been a guy now, but I was still a girl. I _wasn't_ impressed with farts and burps people! I get the human anatomy just has to release sometimes, but _not_ on _me_ okay?

The kid popped his mouth open like a fish, offended (at this time I felt a bit like a bastard but I remember what the kid did was _disgusting_, so I think I _deserved_ brownie points. Plus aren't I _supposed_ to be a bastard?)

Then the kids shock had him stutter out, "Y-You t-too!"

"Why do you stutter so much?" The kid just had the nerve to burp in my face and now he's all Hinata?

The kid switch to a glare, "Why do you have to be an asshole?"

I cocked a brow, big words for a six year old. I was sorely tempted to say, 'because I'm an Uchiha and apparently my clan thinks that because of that we can all legally be bastards.'

"Why did you belch in my face?"

The kids little cheeks reddened (the mother maternal side within me cooed as the brown furball looked down.) "I didn't mean it-It's my sister's fault of giving me bad milk this morning!"

"Sure, blame it on your sister-you _drank_ it didn't you?"

The brown furball just sneered at me, "You're a total jerk!" I smirked _you should see my brother._

We settled in a tense silence as our teacher (still was seating) kids in their "assigned" seats. (Bull crap, they weren't even alphabetized!)

I sighed, maybe we just had gotten off on the wrong foot. I wrinkled my nose… or the wrong _smell_.

"Sasuke Uchiha."

"Huh?" The kid said smartly.

"My name is Sasuke Uchiha." So what if he wasn't Rookie Nine? I could still _make_ friends or _attempt_ to be friendly in the meantime.

He gave me a weird look, "My name is Kiba Inuzuka,"

I almost fell of my chair-What the fuck? _This_ kids Kiba?! Where the hell are the tribal clan marks?! The red upside down triangles! "You are not Kiba Inuzuka!"

"Uh…" It was his time to be confused, "Yeah I am."

I thought quickly was this kid really the famed ninkin ninja? "Uh, doesn't your family have triangles on their faces or something?"

"They're called _Identity_ _Marks_! Some get them when we are born some…get them when we first activate our chakra…Some never get them."

"Hm, so you just haven't gotten yours yet?"

He scowled, "If I get them at all."

I gave him a flat look, "Well aren't Inuzuka's supposed to have good noses? How could you be poisoned with milk by your sister if you really were an Inuzuka?" I accused.

He blushed again out of indignation- "My sister did not _poison_ me-"

"Isn't she supposed to have a good nose?"

'Kiba' paused, "Yeah…"

I smirked, "Sounds like a prank to me."

He suddenly got a furious look and starred off into the distance, (probably planning his 'sister's' demise.) When his stomach made loud and funny noises his glare worsened at a spot in the distance. _At least my brother didn't do that to me_. Though putting illusions on my bed so it looked like I couldn't pull back the sheets to lay down…Evil. Retaliation for hiding his dango. I sweat dropped.

"Hey," I waved a hand in front of my face and 'Kiba' refocused, "you never said anything about my other question."

That made him stumped for a moment, "Oh-you mean our tracking noses?" I nodded, "Well that's something we are born with but we have to train in it for it to be used for good, most of the other kid's breathe out their mouth until they train with it because the smells are so strong…"

He drifted off, that was actually interesting, I never thought about it. You never could tell which smells were which as a baby, and with a smell like theirs it would be awfully hard to discern which was which. Being overloaded with information you weren't ready for-you breathed out of your mouth.

Unfortunately that's when Inuzuka styled pranks came in.

So…that's really _Kiba Inuzuka_…Without the triangles…

Wow, what luck did I have? (Truthfully, none. If I had luck I'd be in Nirvana kicking back and having grapes fed to me by sexy hot men. Naked.)

(But no, fates had to say 'Fuck you, bitch' and stick me in this idiot's body.)

Huh, now that I took a closer look-if you minus the weird tattooed triangles he'd look like a chick magnet when he got older.

I shouldn't say that about people, it's weird coming from an Old woman in a Boy's body.

(When had I thought of myself as 'old?' I'm very youthful?) _Fuck_. I'm turning into Gai. Can you picture a Gai influenced Sasuke? Green Leotard and all? Poising with a thumb flicked up in good Gai poise?

I shuddered noticeably on the outside. "Dude," Kiba nudged my arm _did he just call me 'dude?' What the hell? _"Look at the black board." I swiveled my head, apparently while I was out of it the Teacher had been assigning chores to all of the Academy students. I got the 'worst one' unsurprisingly. I got to _stay after class_ and _clean_ the classroom.

I always thought ninja's were actually _smart_.

An evil grin snaked it's way across my face before settling into indifference.

Oh this was going to be an _interesting_ year.

The very first thing our teacher started talking about was literature, or Japanese language. (He started going over the history of grammar, and the beauty of it. Even I got kinda green over it.) I could already read fluently, since I had concentrated on it in my (very short) life. It was something I had yet to master, but I was fluent. I had always loved reading, it was heaven surrounded by hell. I had yet to focus on calligraphy. (The art of literature was amazing to me.) I understood most of the Japanese literature and grammar, but I did have a problem with calligraphy. I had been an artist (well, it was just another hobby I busied myself with) in my past life, so it should be neat and perfect….But I lacked the motor skills. Later on, as he explained the curriculum we _would_ be learning calligraphy.

Then the hour switch and Sensei started demonstrating very simple math's, he taught us addition and subtraction (In one hour.) Showed us the beginning of multiplication and division (They didn't call it subtraction or addition, multiplication or division. But they used symbols and words that implied it.) Then he made a surprising announcement, he wanted us to 'learn' that by the end of the month.

That…was surprising to me, usually it took kids _forever_ to learn addition and subtraction, not to mention multiplication and division. This was probably another way to sift through the throng of students who'd become Genin and who'd become civilians. But if they were traveling at that pace, then how much would they 'teach' me by the time I was thirteen? Would they have taught, college courses? Not to mention how good would they be? Given that they didn't possess the same knowledge as my old world?

It was an interesting thing to think about.

I boredly filled in the answers in my homework as he passed out the sheets.

These next few years would be dreadfully boring, at least the first time around I had something to _concentrate_ on. I already _knew_ this. Via past déjà vu of classroom teacher's with rulers to godsmack you with.

Wouldn't Naruto be here? In the anime it mentioned he had failed the Genin exams three times. Was he placed ahead of my year? Would he fail this year?

I also didn't know if he was still alone. I knew the Fourth and his wife had died. This was before my impact on the story. But I also didn't know if I should _interfere_.

Naruto had helped so many people from the pain of being alone. It was horrible to think about it, but _oh so true_. Could I really ease that loneliness by talking to him? What would I change? What would I do?

Hell, what _could_ I do?

I couldn't wait till after lunch, for one. Speaking of, "Hey Kiba," I whispered to the furball on my right, "When's lunchtime?"

"Uhmm," He checked the clock, "I think my sister said it was a quarter past noon."

I '_hmed'_ and went back to doodling on my paper, "You're already done with that?" He asked, staring at my paper, "It's homework! You're not supposed to do it in school!"

"Do you always follow the rules?" I teased.

He smirked, "Not at all… I wasn't even going to do this." He waved his homework.

I snorted, "Okay, you flunk out then."

"_Hey_! I _will not_ flunk out!" He yelled at me, I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose, we are _in a classroom_, idiot!

"Sasuke-kun, Kiba-kun, is there something you'd like to share with the class?" Kiba blushed and fidgeted, I gave the teacher a 'freaked out' look… That's was just like what my teacher's back at home would say, perhaps there was more parallels to my last life and this one than I admitted.

If I had felt evil I'd say how much Kiba hated homework but I was nice, "No sensei, we are just discussing the importance of school work. You didn't give a date on the mathematics." Or unimportance, in Kiba's case.

I heard sensei grumble under his breath, I smirked, "It will be due two days from now."

Sasuke:2, Sensei:0

"Don't let it happen again."

_Riight. Like that's going to happen._

Then after math's was history, (I had been right before, there were parts in the Uchiha library I had missed, the Academy had official archives. The Uchiha's history was biased, showing them in the best light possible-but I reckoned every clan was like that. The introduction to how all of the countries were made was kind of exciting. It started with monks and demons then ended in shinobi and jinchuuriki. )

I didn't know about the history before the Six Path's Sage and the 'Endless War.' I didn't know about the sides or the start of it. _It was so damn interesting_ what it was like before the use of chakra. …But I had to wonder, how did the Six Path's Sage know about chakra? How did he discover it? And how the hell had he managed to use it so efficiently?

I looked over at my 'trusty' partner next to me, and I sweat dropped, _how is he doodling when this stuff is going on? This is the first day! I'm so excited! _

I guess I was bored with math (cause I knew it, reincarnated bitch here) and he, history.

I decided to just leave him for now. He wants to get in trouble? Fine with me. You're responsible for your own actions.

Then he switched from history to sciences, which were just explaining the basics of nature. Chakra is in nature blah blah blah. Everything is made up of cells blah blah blah.

Elementary.

But I had to wonder something else, this was our first day, and for (normal) six year olds they were slamming us from the gec-ko. As stated earlier, but Too much too fast would discourage the students, however you had to compact a lot of material into kids by the time their thirteen to become sensible with the right head.

There was too much death in this world if you didn't beat it into impressionable heads.

I was finishing homework as soon as it was given to me, it was only about ten questions a page, and from what the teacher noted, we would be getting 'exercise books' to work with.

Well, no need for loose _leaf_, right? Haha, loose _leaf_? Like the _Leaf_ Village? Haha? …Nevermind.

_What am I supposed to carry this home in? _There were shinobi backpacks people could take on missions, but I wanted something easy to move around with and fight with.

_I'll ask my brother what I should use. _

Soon it was lunch, f_inally. _

Kiba took off (jerk) and I was left standing awkwardly in the classroom alone. "Sensei?" I asked cautiously, shifting my feet around nervously. I had pranked the guy for goodness sake, he was a _chunin_, and I didn't want to die a premature death, _again_.

"Yes, Sasuke?" He still had the glint in his eyes that resemble a lion stalking it's prey.

"When will we be starting chakra control exercises?"

My sensei was a little surprised, "Next year, you start with the leaf exercise."

I nodded, _so I'm that far ahead, ne? _"Is there any Shinobi Library I can go to for extra, outside information?"

He frowned, "Can't you just ask your family that question? I'm sure they'd be happy to start you early with chakra control."

I smiled faintly _this was the first civil conversation with my teacher, maybe I won't die this year. _"I don't want to just learn about chakra control…I'd like to…expand my horizons. I want to read."

He raised a brow, "Well," He mused, "Clan libraries always have more information in them. But the Academy has a library too-but it's on more general techniques." He hesitated, "Also, there is a library for all Shinobi after graduation. Open only for Shinobi, it is in the Hokage tower. But you have to study any scroll at the time in there. No scroll is permitted outside of any library, it is considered a major offense."

I nodded, "How about bookstores?"

He smirked, "There's a variety of bookstores you can study at your age now," then he straightened, "But most of the Shinobi bookstores there are just very general. Can't leave that kind of information to the public you' know?" He smirked as if he knew I couldn't understand why, it was because of enemies could steal our jutsu, but the reason there was any books out at all were for political reasons. People needed to see what the Shinobi of the leaf were doing, so everything equal to an Academy student strictly, was published. Though the chakra control exercises weren't. Secrecy is dire." He gave me a pointed look, "Don't go bragging to your friends. If you're looking for tips on Taijutsu they always have them there. But genjutsu, ninjutsu and other preferences will have little to none at all. Those are techniques that belong to this village alone. Though if you want really good training around here, you have to consult a Master, or right now, a higher ranking Shinobi."

I puffed out my cheek in thought. Great. Who'd take a snot nosed Academy Student on? That had little to no chance of actually passing?

Looks like I have to stick to clan training for now. I nodded my thanks an humbled out the door, "And Sasuke-" I looked back to see my teacher's frightening sneer, "Don't think I _haven't forgotten_ the little skit you pulled a few weeks back."

I smiled just as scary, "Oh no, sensei-Where would the fun be if you _had_ forgotten? I wouldn't need to _remind you,_ now would I?" I challenged, but mentally I was freaking out._ Fuck me and my big mouth! I just fucking challenged a ninja! What the fuck did I just do?! Why come I have so much shithead arrogance?!_

Challenges were almost like therapy to me. Masochistic therapy sometimes, but therapy all the same.

I heard my Sensei chuckling all the way until I exited the Academy, book tucked happily under my arm.

I looked around at all the students, they had all designated into playing ninja. All in the middle of their games, good. It wasn't all of them, only the giant portion of our class. I also found 'playing ninja' sickening, it taught you how to hide and stuff, true, but they took it as a _game_. It was pure innocence, yes, treasured moments. But what was going to come made bile swim in my throat.

I couldn't bear looking at them.

I couldn't bear it because I imagined each and every one of their deaths.

Instead of that I saw smiles painted on bright faces.

People should and shouldn't fear death. There is no right or wrong approach to it, you live, you die, a continuous wheel of misfortune and luck. Too many people feared it, but why?

The thing I fear is not being able to say goodbye.

_Samantha…_

_I got to say goodbye_…_my angel…_

Other than that, I guess they fear because they care. I don't. I don't care if I live or die as long as I let my family know how much I care for them. Though, in retrospect, they probably already knew that. I don't care where I'd go, what would happen to me. If I went to heaven or hell (if there was one), or cease to exist-whatever, I'm open to it. I'll _never_ accept one religion because of it, I believe in _all_ religions, because each one holds at _least_ a _single_ truth. (Except maybe, Jashinism. Oh, what's that? Think it's cool and I should go rot? I'll stick you on the end of Hidan's scythe and then you can waltz back to me _then_, that is, if you aren't a Human kabob.)

But I didn't want this.

…This made my soul grow weary, _tired_, it wanted an _end_ to the suffering. The pain of _loss_.

Instead I got new life, with all my memories, in Sasuke Uchiha's body.

I lost my family once. I was _powerless_ to stop their demise _again_.

_I so fucking want a refund_. I'm so serious, I'll-

I'll what?

What could I do? I was expected to be a shinobi due to my family (though in this crazy ass world with miniature Kabuto's and Obito's running around there was _no fucking way_ I _WASN'T_ going to be a ninja. I was the kind of girl (_guy_?) who wanted to protect myself.)

What could I do?

Nothing. I couldn't beg for death to take me back, I was pretty sure I was stuck here. I knew what was going to happen, if someone up there was merciful they'd have wipe my memories clean. But maybe that's why I was here in the first place.

So I could help them, help them minimize their losses.

But at what cost would I pay?

I had already changed the ripples on the surface of the pond. Who knew what would happen now? Anything could, even Obito could turn out to be a transvestite with stuffed boobies and horrible make-up.

_I. wish._

A butterfly flaps its wings and halfway across the world a hurricane stirs.

I was the butterfly, so what was my hurricane? I originally looked around for some kids, there was no one but I had spotted Kiba-furball over playing ninja. There were three classes in our grade (This was going to be sharpened to nine kids folks, do you freaking know how the _odds_ play against us? It's a fucking _miracle_ when I see non-clan families have a graduate-sure I'm happy for them but _holy shit-_the odd's are forever _against_ your favor!) Next to the recess field there was a small circle of trees, next to that, training grounds. Which seemed _almost_ practically empty. I scooted around the kids and practically beeline for the _Training grounds_!

I didn't mean to be antisocial, but I didn't feel like 'playing' (puking more like) I was hoping to meet a bunch of the older kids in the Academy so I could ask a list of questions I had. (I was also hoping that they could help me with my training, I had the Fourth War coming up now didn't I? Which I was probably tearing my hair out over.) At the training grounds (there were always people training in the training grounds of the Academy,) it was nothing like the Clan's grounds-very small, high fences. There were different sections sectioned off for different classes. I could see one being taught during this 'period' of the day. I wandered over, they were discussing Taijutsu, but too advanced for me at this level.

I sat against the fence and took out my book, I had eaten my lunch before class so I could observe the children from afar and not just concentrate on eating(multi tasking!) The book was a cover story for anyone who had wanted to get me to play.

There was no way I would play ninja, which was actually more like hide and go seek.

I had worried Itachi and my parents a couple of times, but my father shrugged it off. I never gave them an explanation as to why I didn't quite associate with kids my age. _When would they die_? How many were marked to die during Orochimaru's invasion?

I jolted.

Orochimaru's invasion. The second 'big' thing that would happen in this life.

_The curse mark_.

A bunch of yelling caught my attention in the yard, I looked up from my book to find a bunch of kids crowding around something on the ground. I frowned again, looking closer. Eight kids against one who was already on the ground, they were taunting him, shoving him around calling him _dead last _and calling him a freak with _weird hair_ and _eyebrows_.

I froze-_Naruto_?

It occurred to me later that there was no way in how Naruto could have gotten the reputation dead-last from _one da_y of class. Not to mention my class had technically not gotten authority to be at the training grounds. (I was bending the rules a little bit. This year for kids was all theoretical, no training. But they didn't say we _weren't_ allowed, they just didn't say we were. A larger fence doesn't keep _this_ active kid out.) But still, eight against one was a _horrible_ number. My mother side was clawing it's way to the surface of my personality. It didn't matter if I was six and a complete _shrimp_, I couldn't just sit in front of a kid who'd probably be scarred for life from this treatment.

"_Hey_!"

The octo group of kids paused to look up at the kid with black spiky hair running towards them.

_Damn, even with all that exercise I'm still tired from that dash!_

"What the hell are you doing?!"

The kids looked at one another, some cocky kid with spiky brown hair spoke up, and "Making sure the idiot knows his place."

I glance at the kid on the ground, I noticed with small disappointment that it was not in fact Naruto, but a kid with long black hair in a braid. He looked up at me with large teary black eyes. The mother in me melted.

_Aww, you poor thing._

My eyes hardened on the one that spoke, "That 'idiot' is you're _comrade_, _idiot_. You won't be saying that when he hauls ass in battle."

He scoffed and cross his arms, looking a good foot down at me, "He's too weak to actually become a ninja! He can't even use chakra!"

My eyes widened slightly, _why does that seem so familiar_?

I covered that thought and slapped on a smirk, "But even now he'd be a better ninja than you'll _ever_ be." I boasted, trying to get the glitter of tears out of kid's eyes, I _hated_ it when kids cried, it reminded me of my unhappy daughter back at home, "_He_ doesn't go around beating fellow Konoha people up! Get lost, you disgust me. Come back when you grow a pair."

"You _brat_." The same brown hair boy cracked his knuckles, turning an rather interesting purple. The seven other's followed his example, a little alarmed I made eye contact with the boy on the ground and tipped my head towards the direction of the Academy. Now that their attention was off of them the boy scrambled up and nodded at me seriously and ran off with a determined glint in his eye.

With a slight sinking in my chest, I faced the other boys and hunkered down in my (still sloppy) Taijutsu form, Uchiha style. These boy's were older than me, I could not tell if they were Clan children, if they were than they had more training than I did, being older. But I had taken to the Uchiha style fast, if I out smarted them than perhaps I could slip away. I couldn't fight eight (assumedly) stronger than myself at once.

I also couldn't give away my chakra control exercise, sure, it would help hiding from them but I couldn't use them _here_, out in the open. I couldn't let anyone label me as a 'prodigy.' The best was to create a distraction to let the boy slip away then slip away myself. I breathed out, the first one lunged fist first, they'd probably underestimate me, want to give me a few bruises for a 'lesson.' If I fought dirty they'd start fighting dirty. If I just blocked, they'd get even more angry. I blocked the boy's fist, and crashed my tiny one into his nose. He reeled back shocked, but it didn't even _bleed_. But it stupefied him for a moment, another came in for a kick while he back away. _Good_, they didn't have good teamwork at _all_, the boys formed a loose circle around me. If they had good teamwork, three or four would be on me at the same time distracting me while the other's would take me from my blind spots. I'd be screwed if they used teamwork…not like I _wasn't_ screwed over anyway.

The real question is: To fight dirty or not to fight dirty?

I tried to block the kick to my legs only for it to be a feint and have him kick me in the gut. I chocked and the air left my lungs and bile rose in my throat.

Fight dirty then.

Fuck Uchiha style-this is surviving style, I'm **_not_** being sent to the hospital on my first day!

I twisted my body and _slammed_ my fist into his throat which he immediately collapsed to the ground. Cutting off oxygen to the brain was a smart way to take down an opponent immediately, if I was stronger, I would probably have collapsed it to the point of him not getting up, but at four years old I just took him out for a couple moments.

Mother would _not_ be happy with my bruises.

Angry two boys sprung at me, while another tried to get a hold of my arms, I lashed out and gouged his eyes, which, once again was not enough to blind but stunned him. I also left a nice gash from his nose to his cheeks. Yay for womanly nails on a boy's body! But because of that move the one behind me got a hold of my arms and pinned them behind me back, as the other slammed his foot into my abdomen.

I winced, but covered my face with my hair. The boy's laughed, the ones on the ground got up.

Fuck, it was three outta eight, now it's eight out of eight _again_. _Stop getting more lives_! _That's not what happens here! You don't have spare lives-You stupid video game –things!_

Maybe that kid had ran and gotten help? I glanced around helplessly.

The brown snot nosed kid smirked, "I'm going to have fun with _this_."

Needless to say I went home that day early, with two black eyes, a broken nose, and a slip lip, bruises that lined my entire skin on my head, and I had a missing tooth. Not to mention bruises all over my mid-section, my arms and legs. (The tooth I had lost was a baby one, so I wasn't too worried.)

My family was furious, Itachi quietly glaring and my mother babbling about _who'd_ done it, _how_, _what_, _when_, _where_, and _why_. I didn't say a word, but I met my father's eyes with a pointed look and said one single thing.

"I need to train."

My father's mouth up turned.

…

Days passes by idly after that, bruises faded, I'd settled into a routine-(dangerous for a shinobi,) but right for an Academy student. First, I'd wake up two hours before school, train with my father, or brother, even sometimes with my mother-though she went easier than Itachi and To-san did. She'd have me do some laps, then she'd take it easy and spar with me.

My progress was slow, almost a crawl. I worked mainly on Taijutsu and weapons. I was introduced a while ago to throwing one kunai at a target, than I progressed to three at once, now I was trying four. I'd go in the house and shower, by than mother would be out with breakfast, sometimes, depending if Itachi had mission and my father had work they'd sit with us. I'd chat up the silence about what I was reading, or studying in school. In school, I'd sit through a quarter of the day completely bored, literature was somewhat interesting, though I had learned most of it already, (early reader's privilege.) Math's I was bored out of my mind in (We were on long division. I had done that when I was eight. The first time I was eight.) History was interesting, I liked it at least. Then sciences I breezed by. The furball Kiba had recently acquired Akamaru, the poor pup couldn't decide if it liked me or hated me the way the furball talked about me. I had also started calling Kiba furball to his face (he got so pissed at the nickname.)

Other than the first day, I hadn't seen any of the Rookie nine, though I didn't socialize much. I had risen quickly to the top of the class, though I wasn't first…yet. I stuck away from the training grounds, though I peaked over a few times to make sure that boy wasn't getting beaten up again. But I never saw him during lunch or anything, again, I was a little disappointed. I had kinda wanted to make friends outside of the Rookie nine, but my class was really immature. I knew I could be immature at times-but the innocence started to close in around my throat. The teacher really despised me, once or twice he tried to give me bad markings and refused help when I had asked for it, I had written in pen (so no one could erase my answers.) And had taken my papers to an Chunin above him at the Academy, who thoroughly threatened to fire him from the Academy if he did not give fair markings.

In the afternoons there was introductions to chakra, how dangerous chakra could be if there was chakra exhaustion. It was kinda interesting, we'd learn about the eight chakra gates this year, then start molding chakra next year. I had thought chakra molding would come two years in, but we'd already start the leaf exercise. Also there was weaponry, (I was far along this one.) We had started being shown the Academy way of holding kunai, I was a little ahead of that, and had developed my own way of holding a kunai.

Another thing that shocked me, was the transfer system, students would transfer out of the shinobi classes and into the civilians, and vice versa. Even now the class of forty had dwindled to thirty five, and new transfers were situated in. Civilian school was really similar to ninja school but it had two days off a week, an hour of recess, and six subject, not eight. This could only go on until you were nine. After that, no more transfers _too_ Shinobi School, but you could transfer _out_. (Unfair in my opinion, but it made sense, it was where the civilian and ninja boundaries started to separate.)

Now being a ninja was _fun_ and _awesome_! The classes were difficult but you got to _learn_ about _super_ _crazy_ jutsu!

They didn't say that most of these jutsu's _killed_ people by doing them.

Assholes. Leading kids on, rounding kids up, if they knew half of went on in the real world they'd have no takers. But unfortunately, people like me had to be here. And sadly there couldn't _not_ just be ninjas.

War, you know, villages that hate you because you were born blah blah.

After chakra and weaponry came a little sales pitch tales of ancient shinobi who ruled over all. Everyone-and I mean everyone was pulled into this. I knew it was probably terrible exaggeration but it still was _awesome_. Blood, death, sweat aside.

A small, naive part of me could see why kids looked up to Shinobi, (usually. Some kids were taught to hate them.) But a larger part didn't want to be them at all. I had to be. I had to get off on the right foot. Because _I didn't have_ a choice. I would die when the flood came if I did. Because I wouldn't be a ninja-a part of me wanted the coward's way out-wanted to take my brother and get the fuck out of Konoha.

But I was six…

He was ten…

Two children against the world, prodigy or not Itachi and I would die living on our own, no question about it. Plus…There are graver dangers that lie ahead, if I sit this part out now, how the hell was I going to face world domination?

There were worse horrors about killing children in the Shinobi world.

I wanted to stay and leave at the same time.

After the sales pitch came ninjutsu, genjutsu, and taijutsu. Though in honesty we had not done anything regarding those.

Life was boring, dull. Until the day my teacher pissed me off.

…

"Oi, Furball,"

"_I told you to stop calling me that_!"

"…you still respond to it."

"…Shut up Uchiha."

"Heh, alright when's this history homework due?"

"You're asking _me_? I hardly do that shit! I'm not goody two-shoes."

"Are you saying that I am?"

"Well…yeah, and you kinda look like a girl too…"

"**_What_**?"

Hand rose up in defense, "It's your weird eyelashes!"

"You noticed my _eyelashes_? Should I be worried?"

"Huh? Why would you be worried?"

"Nevermind…But are yo-"

"Sasuke, Kiba, detention after school." A voice called across the yard.

"What? _Why_?!" Kiba said outraged.

"You're talking."

"We're eating lunch, sensei. Not disrupting your lessons." Sasuke frowned.

"Are you _questioning_ me? Double detention, today and tomorrow after school."

Both Kiba and Sasuke shared looks, _What the fuck is going on here?_

…

Kiba and Sasuke trailed along to detention, Kiba shoved his hands in his pockets, "Man, this sucks! I don't even know why we're having detention!"

Sasuke nodded and counted tiles on the ceiling, "I think our teacher is biased against us."

Kiba looked over startled, "Eh?! Why?!"

"Well, face it, we both get a lot of detention, at least once or twice a week." He cranked his neck up and down working out the kinks from sitting in a desk all day. "You for not doing homework, me, for any little reason. But this, by far is the most unfair."

Kiba pouted, "Why hate us though?"

Sasuke scratched his head, "Don't know if it's hate, we may just rub him wrong."

Kiba shrugged, "Still."

Sasuke smirked, for a six year old, he saw Kiba was developing rapidly into his egotistical future self.

Kiba had also gotten his triangles ("_Identity_ _Marks_,") half way through the year, he said they itched a lot, but he apparently liked them for they reminded him of fangs. (Weird boy.)

Sasuke and Kiba walked into the classroom, it was empty exempt from the teacher who was writing on the black board. "Sasuke, Kiba, some of the other detention students are coming here, they were informed that starting today this is the new detention room for your age level. They'll be here any minute."

_Great_. I moaned in my head. _More annoying brats_.

"Mitzu-san?" Another chunin popped it's head through the door, "The other's are waiting for you to pick them up."

Our teacher looked a little annoyed, "Alright." Probably the fact that he was stuck with this, and he has to babysit a bunch of troublemaking runts.

The moment he walked out of the room, I turned to Kiba and put a single finger to my lips in a 'Ssshh' motion.

Then from my pack I pulled out a kunai knife, some wire, and a balloon.

…

It was a simple trap really, nothing special, I pretended to read when the teacher came in with the kids but a few snickers were under my breath. I kept my head down so he couldn't see the suspicious smile on my face.

Our Sensei, didn't suspect anything as he laid the rules of detention, and how we were all supposed to be quiet and work on our homework. He lectured us that we were pretty bad kids (I rolled my eyes at this.)

Finally he shut up and went to sit behind his desk.

That's when hell broke out.

He sat in his chair which gave a suspicious **_Creaaaakkkk. _**At the same time, **_Thawng_**!

His chair collapsed behind the desk, and the teacher thumped to the ground so you could only see the tuff of his dark hair and his forehead.

Then a balloon of liquid from the ceiling dropped on top of the suckers head.

I fell out of my chair laughing as there was a split second of shock.

"Naruto!"

The teacher howled and the class collapsed in a fit of childish glee, he stood up from the desk, killing intent aimed at the class. I couldn't breath, red and white gunk was splattered all over his body.

Kiba next to me was wiping tears from his eyes, "What'd you use for the red and white?"

"Ketchup and Mayonnaise." I smirked. I hadn't had resources for the red and white paint, so I stole food from the teacher's lounge.

Red and White, Uchiha colors. Translation: You were just OWNED by and UCHIHA

Kiba laughed again.

There was another loud callous boisterous laugher, (that rivaled mine.)

I looked over to see a blonde kid wearing a black tee-shirt with a red swirl in the middle. W_ith whisker marks on his cheeks._ Is that who I think it i-

"NARUTO UZUMAKI-" The teacher dragged his ass up front by the collar of his coat, he shook his head to have little flecks of ketchup and mayonnaise out of his hair, little bits ended up on Naruto's cheeks.

"_Hahaha_! That's what you get old man!"

The teacher's face became an interesting purple. "You will have de-"

"Are you kidding me?" I interrupted, Naruto or not, I didn't think he'd take the credit for _my_ prank. It was _mine_. "Doesn't the Ketchup and Mayonnaise have 'Sasuke Uchiha' written all over it?"

The teacher turned his death glare on me, I just grinned.

The blonde squinted his eyes up at me, "That was _lammee_!" He huffed at me.

I twitched, "So taking all the screws out of a chair is no better?" I glared at the brat. Screw him being some super-hero for bedtime stories, my prank was _awesome_.

Azure eyes glared in irritation-"Mine was funny on it's own!"

I puffed up one of my cheeks, and started moving towards the front of the room, "_I_ had the creativity to add a little color!"

The fishcake screwed up his face, "Uh-huh, At least _mine_ was cool!"

"No way." I growled, "I stole food from the _chunin_ teacher's lounge _and_ set up a trap! You just unscrewed a few nuts and bolts."

"BOTH OF YOU-" The chunin roared, quelling the argument, "You _will_ clean all this up-_detention for two weeks_ after school-and Uchiha, I _will_ be talking to your father!"

"Whatever." I huffed.

Naruto snickered, "The thing that needs the most cleaning up here is you _sensei_." He mocked.

I laughed, "Good one." I muttered, Naruto snickered.

We both went home late supporting two goose sized eggs on our heads.

Then I also was punished at home with more training and calligraphy lessons. My parents also tried hiding the wire spools, and gave me blunted kunai instead of sharp. But I stole my brothers kunai and always found my father's wire.

After that day, no corner of the Academy was safe. Each day always had a new little surprise.

It was officially war between the ravenette and the blonde. Naruto would spray Sasuke with water, Sasuke would tape 'Kick me' to his back. Naruto would switch Sasuke's book out with graphic novels, (something that Sasuke would be furious at) Sasuke would glue the soles of Naruto's shoes to the ground. (Naruto would sometimes take his shoes off during recess. (He ran faster given the shoes were not the shinobi sandals as the ninja's seem to favor.)

It gave the chunin migraines.

Because most of the time…

Someone would get caught in the crossfire.

Sasuke would try to soak Naruto in paint, (Chunin got soaked instead) Naruto would try to put itching powder down his back. (Poor poor classmate was scratching his body for days.)

The chunin learned that Naruto and Sasuke in the same room, or detention would result in deaf ears, and grueling headaches.

Sasuke's parents did everything to try to advert him and stop his pranks. They even searched him every time he left the compound (Sasuke hollowed out a few of his books to place things in and sowed secret pouches in the seams.)

The only thing that stopped his father from beating Sasuke senseless was that Sasuke's training had improved and his grades were the top of the class. Never the less Sasuke got many lectures and crippling punishments on how it was unbecoming of an Uchiha to pull pranks, Sasuke's excuse was the same every time.

"But I'm only preparing them for real world scenarios. You can't afford to be caught off guard after mission's right? What's a little harmless practice going to harm anyone?"

Fugaku would nod, then sigh, wondering how his son twisted his words on him.

There as only one difference between Naruto and Sasuke in the academy's eyes.

Naruto was dead last and Sasuke was the first with leading grades.

The chunin pulled their hair out over this, they could get Naruto, in fact they _tried_ to set him back because of his resident friend-but Sasuke they didn't. Sasuke was the Clan Heir's son, (In which some secretly thought Fugaku was going soft. So public display of discipline was often set.) he had everything, he handed in his homework on time got high marks on all the tests, a kid who didn't care for school they got. But Sasuke cared, and studied.

It was confusing to them.

Perhaps he was bored? They wondered, and passed tests that were of a higher level, but Sasuke didn't pass those, (As it had been a year ahead of the time.)

So if he wasn't bored, why pull pranks? For attention? For giggles?

Or was it truly the fact that he thought he was helping his classmates by pranking them? (Yeah right.)

They were simply baffled.

Two kids that couldn't be more different, yet the same.

The Hokage always laughed.

But what they didn't know, was that over time, pranking people became therapy for young Sasuke.

A year and a half passed, (**1**) and it was everything but peaceful. The class cut down into two different classes, over fifty kids switching to civilian schools because of the training and the war between a certain Uchiha and Uzumaki quelled them.

"Yo, Fishcake!" I screamed to the blond, grinning, "Eat this!"

_Splat_

"Damn it, Teme!" The orange blur was dripping with water. "I swear I'll get you for this, -ttebayo!"

I just smirked, "We have three weeks until next semester. I'm sure you'll plan something awesome." I waved and swung my little blue back pack over my shoulder.

It had been almost two years since I had met the little terror in orange. (Yes, the little eight year old had acquired his infamous suit.)

I was eight too-almost three months older than Naruto, and finishing up the second year of the Academy, I wore a black turtleneck with grey pants that hung to my ankles. (Naruto always accused me of that I 'added' color to everything but myself.)

As I walked away I shoved my hands in my pockets, two years. It was coming close to _that_ time.

The time when-

"H-Hello Sasuke-kun?"

I paused in step, and stared at the girl in front of me. "Yeah?"

She had long blond hair to her shoulders, she shuffled, then picked up her head and grinned widely. I almost shifted away from shock of the bright grin. She held out a perfectly wrapped box, "I'd like you to accept my gift!"

I stared suspiciously at the box, was there a bomb in it?

I picked it up gingerly, "Um…Thanks?" I looked into her eyes and this time, I really _did_ step away, she had creepy hearts in her eyes.

She tackled me, I stumbled back shocked as she rubbed my cheek with hers, "Oh Sasuke-kun! I'm so glad you accept my feelings!"

"W-What?"

"Oh, I _knew_ you were just shy! That's fine, I'll break you of it soon!"

"**_What_**?!" My face was downright _horrified_, "Who the hell are you?"

She pulled away, tears springing to her eyes, "I'm YOUR CLASSMATE!" She yelled at me, I leaned away from the bipolar girl, "Y-You don't _remember_ me?"

"Uhmm hold on let me think…" I thought hard, but I honestly couldn't remember seeing her in class, "No."

She fell to the ground sobbing.

"Erm…Wrong thing to say?" she could be an enemy nin (or Sensei) for all I knew.

Quickly recovering a determined glint took over her eyes, "That's fine! At least you know who I am _now_-I'll totally beat that Forehead!"

A gloomy look took over my stature, _no_ not _her_, "My name is Ino Yamanaka! And we're totally going to be together because" she flipped her hair, and sent me a 'sultry' look, "-because you're the coolest guy in class and I'm the most beautiful girl."

Oh _fuck_ I totally forgot this.

_Fangirls_.

I'm adding them to the list of the other things in the goodie bag-package, Snakes, Spiders, and _Fangirls_.

_Why oh why did I have to be Sasuke Uchiha_?!

"Uhm…Listen Ino," I didn't dare look into the puppy-eyes she was sending me, I should nip this off at the bud, "I'm not really interested right now-"

I made the mistake of looking into large teary eyes, "Uhh," _Aww_ my mother side cooed, _How dare you do this to her?!_

_She has a crush on an old woman_! A more sensible part argued, _I wonder how'd she take it if she really knew me!_

I changed the subject, "So…you're in my class…" She nodded sourly, wondering why I hadn't noticed her.

When did I become cool anyway? I was hoping my pranks would ruin that reputation.

Perhaps it made me more human and likable?

"I'm sorry I never noticed you…I was to concentrated on school work and…other things." _Like_ _pranks_. "I'm sorry but…I can't handle any relationship now or in the near future…I'm simply way to busy."

Instead of a heartbroken mess, Ino perked right up, "Oh don't worry Sasuke-kun!" She laughed and hugged me again, I breathed a sigh of relief, and perhaps it was over? Was it really that easy? "I'll wait for you to get up the courage to ask me out!"

Damn delusional Fangirls. (DDF.)

…

_Dreams of an endless space, filled up with a dark clear water. A single light that didn't quite reach the figure in the shadows. "It's about time you start figuring it out, Kelly." A low chuckle floods her ears, it's colored a set black, almost seeping pure evil. "Cause next time, I won't be so patient."_

_"Who are you?" She asks sleepily, she is not quite with the situation at hand. "What do you want?"_

_"I want independence. I want freedom! You took that from me!" _

_Kelly couldn't wake up, her dreams were like a clamp that tethered her to the male newcomer, "Freedom? From what?" _

_"Give it back!" The shadows twist and lunge in her visions, hands extended like claws ready to tear her face off. She screams shocked and falls back, yet she doesn't hit the ground. She's sinking, falling from his reach. "I will walk the path set in front of me." He swore, "You, nor anyone else will get in my way."_

_"The time is coming soon," The voice projected a bloodthirsty grin, "Soon I'll be back and you'll be __**nothing**__. You won't even be able to do anything after that event-you're so __**weak**__! So easy to crumble beneath little strength!" _

_Hands wrapped around my throat, "I'll kill you." The voice swore. "I'll flay you alive." _

_Kelly trembled, "W-What have I done to you?"_

_Chills worked their way up and down her back, the shadows growled at her, "Much __**much**__ more that you can imagine."_

_Then Kelly awoke sweating in her bed, still trapped in Sasuke's body._

_"Just a dream," She muttered, but rubbed her throat. "Just a dream…"_

* * *

(1) I skipped a year and a half because it was literally training, pranks and homework. I could have gone on for another thirty pages, so I skipped time instead-I will have the Extra's include 'flashback's' or amusing incidents in those times. In this chapter Naruto met three important people, actually four now that I think about it. So a lot of introductions this chapter…The beginning of a lot of things.

From now on _review responses_ will be posted _up on here_, if you do not want public display just write a little note off the side. This is mainly because the author is lazy and doesn't want to keep clicking and send private messages to the lot of you, (can't get hand cramps?-Okay _that_ excuse isn't going to work-don't murder me when I sleep please!) This comment on the chapter is _REALLY_ long, the longest I've ever made because there are _A LOT_ of updates and review responses! (Thank you everybody you are the bomb!...Not Deidara's hopefully!)

Project 501D3R: Thank you for the review, I promise it won't go dead…like so many other things. I still have to go mess up the Naruto plot!

Ivy Moonlit Rose: Childhood is a big influence on character hmm~ I just tried to make it more interesting. All through this fanfic there shall be bits and pieces of memories. I'm glad to hear you liked it.

Yeah, and Inner is a little bugger in her life. Like twisting the knife under the ribs.

Crossbows-huh, why didn't I think of that? (well, still, _Lightsaber_!) That's actually a really good choice, it's not the coolest, sure, but it's _super_ effective.

Thank you for your review!~ (YOU ARE SO AWESOME.)

ArticIllustrator: I-I will! _PLEASE DON'T CRY_! We are all smiles here (except for Kelly because I bully her.) Thank you for reviewing! Seriously, these are like the equivalent to an addicts drug to me, reviews…drugs…Okay maybe that wasn't the best comparison.

Reviewing till I'm sick? I don't think I'll ever want you to go away-Or I'll just stay as twisted as I am now. (Actually though, I take in reviews to how chapter length is. Because I like to blackmail and more reviews equal more chapter. (Though that starts this chapter, I didn't realize last chapter would have such and impact!)

Thank you for your review. J

.Tragedist: I'm happy I exceeded your expectations! Thank you for your review!

Guest-er, you know who you are (Chapter 2):I try to keep it in two weeks, but I'm getting busier and busier when summers around the corner! Thank you for your review!

Starlight 21: Thank you so much! I was actually thinking that Kelly is a little flimsy, but thank you for the reassurance. So yes, as you can see Karma DID come back to haunt her ass. Now she's dealing with the demon teacher from the pits of hell. YES w'ittle Kelly has made her everlasting marks on Konoha's school children.

She shall be cursed all throughout the generations.

Haha, thank you so much again for your review, they tickle me, seriously, they do. (That's a contradiction if I ever saw one.)

Eldeweiss: Ah! You think my stories cute? You've made my entire day, thank you! (Tears of happiness and neurotic relief)

Vixeona: Thank you so much for your review! I have to admit though, I had the same line of thought. Everyone body-shared everyone's body, so why couldn't I do my own? (I'm not even going to start on how wrong that sentence sounded.) You are absolutely right, no one goes for poor traitorous Sasuke. But on the other hand he seriously balances out the plot, someone can't completely go in favor of Konoha. Especially with all the mistakes Konoha has made. It would seem too perfect, in fact, if Sasuke didn't defect from the village think of how it would have impacted it. -Naruto would be a little more immature-would he be able to handle Pein etc etc? Or Gaara's kidnapping? Would Sakura ever decide to become a medical ninja _without_ that defection? I think the answer is no. He's the balance to Konoha's sparkly rainbow. So my thought line was… Sticking a character (_purely because I'm sadistic_) into the body of Sasuke Uchiha sounds like a yarn of fun. Oh, and LET'S MAKE IT A GIRL! (If _that_ makes you giggly you should read the extra after this.)

Yeah and memories with Sasuke/Kelly's family I'll continue to write about as the story progresses. Kelly gets really attached to them because they were people that cared for her and stuck next to her side loyally. She loves the Uchiha because of this, as mentioned in the little emo pity party about the upcoming massacre.

(I also (_might_) steal that term…_body robbing_…because it made me crack up till tears came out of my eyes.)

Thank you for faithfully stalking, if it was anything other than Fanfiction I would've dialed the police due to serious misconceptions.

But in this case, thank you! J

ALI-MEI: Yes I agree, there are a lot of reincarnation fictions out there right now, hm? (But usually all of them are REALLY cool, no joke) I enjoy practically every one of them, so I got the to make this as a bit of a combination of all of theirs (the idea gods asked me to sacrifice a white lamb, an arm, and a foot for this idea. Typing with one hand is really awkward needless to say-I _didn't_ sprain it in my sports practice, I swear.)

So Sasuke met Naruto in this chapter, I was debating whether to hold it off or not but soon, you'll see why. I also want to ask you a question-How do you think of the development between them? I find that first impression can have a big impact and well…put a dramatic flare on it, and shit gets blown out of proportion.

Oh, what's that? Rabid fangirls frothing at the mouth? You think I'd let Sasuke escape those? I have a surprise for Sakura-hold on let me go pick up my evil face. _Muhahahaha_!

On a less-strange- note, thank you for your lovely review. I'm really elated!

Ja ne!

Arwenia: Potential? You think my story has potential? THANK YOU!

You like my style, and Itachi-Sasuke? YOU'RE THE BEST! :D I could cry-Thank you! I will assure you from now till Stomping Weasel Time- things _will b_e different, but some scenes will be just like the canon except…Sasuke will screw them up a bit. (Okay a lot.) Basically, the order of the plot will be the same, plus some things.

Thank you for your review!~

Pawn:

Thank you for your review! Yeah I'm looking for that line between tragedy (woe is me) and comedy.

Guest/Neesan Big sister: I went back and reread (now that it's not three in the morn) and it does seem a bit unfinished, hm? I changed it completely from what I did have so I rushed some of the details-so you are absolutely right, thank you. I'll see if I can update it without screwing up my chapters, if not, well…of well. I promise not to get sloppy with the small stuff, you can virtually slap me silly.

Thank you.

SasukeTanteiPHlover: Thanks! And Oooh-you mean 'forgotten ninja?' The Naruto/Pandora Hearts crossover? (If so I SHALL read) It sounds like an interesting concept!~

…

I keep changing my title. From 'dimension crawler,' to 'reincarnation's victim' and now just to 'Sasuke Uchiha.' But now…the title seems a little more…real. So this is the last time, I'll change it, I swear. It gives more shine to the story. (or hints more on what's it about) I can't say I won't keep changing my summary though, I would keep liking to improve it more. Revise and Rewrite, I like this summary much better than my old one.

I also wanted to talk about something; originally I thought that 'little brother' was spelled like 'Otouto' and father 'tou-san' but I looked them up, and the literal translation was 'Ototo,' and 'To-san' so I went for that approach which (I THINK) is correct. So please correct me if I'm wrong. I'm pretty sure 'Kaa-san' mother, is the same. I've seen 'Nee-san' and 'Nii-san' so I'm not sure which ones right, if you noticed I kind of alternated it in my chapters…I decided to stick to 'Nee-san' because it seems more…mature that 'Nii-san' for at least-Kelly's character. I don't know if it's right, but it just suits my tastes better. (Sue me.)

I would love feedback on Kelly's character. I'm putting her through (ODD) situations and things that will further develop it-especially next chapter (SPOILERS) Yeah, it may seem like she's a Mary-Sue but later on in the story, it will take a _drastic_ turn. Believe me. There's a lot of hidden hints in these chapters, a lot of red herrings.

I need to stop myself now before I spill my shi-

Speaking of which-do you think I have Kelly swear too much? I rated it T for all the swearing an awkwardness…It's just kinda my style…Uhm, if anything offends you…I'll just apologize now…

The only thing I can think that's mildly offensive would be that comment in the beginning about 'Japanese Amish.'

Yeah…

I don't mean anything about the boy vs girl comments, or anything that relates to relationships, I've mentioned it once in the story. I don't care about homosexuals or anything, they are mentioned in this story to add to the comedy. _No_ other reason.

-So this chapter was all about the Academy. And some more. What- did you guys think that Sasuke would escape his fan girls? Fat chance! That chunin instructor too… he has is so very evil isn't he? …I wonder why…

How do you guys like it so far? Now that I'm slightly more confident about the story I want to ask more engaging question, which you could just read over to think about. Honestly, they are my nervous ramblings.

Preview!:

"Run away, _little brother_, cling to your pathetic life-" "-SHUT UP!"

-(Anticlimactic much?)

Question of the Chapter:

What character are you most LIKE in Naruto (OC's Don't count!) Who would you be?

-I think I would be most like Shikamaru. (No I don't have the anime-hots for him, I never did. Because thinking or dating someone REALLY LIKE yourself really weirds me out.) Or Anko, because I can be pretty sadistic.

~There is an Extra after this, I will also try to put them at the END of my comments because I'm actually trying to get you to read these. (shocker!) With this extra I'm going to ask no one to get offended by. This is _PURELY_ for amusement. If you don't want to read, don't, it's _crude_ and won't really have any major impact on the story.~

ENOUGH BABBLING THIS HAS BEEN THE LONGEST COMMENT EVER-leave a review on your way out please! Review are love! Love are chapters! (And inspiration.)

* * *

Extra: Dealing with a Dick 101

(If you didn't catch my warning from my earlier comments, -because why would you read my comments? I'm the starving author- this is for _amusement_, not _insults_. This will have _crude_ language –As in lots of _abundant swear words_- and –_disturbing/awkward/disgusting_!- visuals.

Oh, you didn't think Kelly would have to deal with her sex change? Ha! This will be hilarious-_muhahaha_.)

Extra Start:

It all started when Itachi decided that taking his younger brother out of the stuffy compound to get some fresh air.

"Neesan?" young four-year old Sasuke tottered after his brother, said brother which was holding his hand firmly while walking through the busy streets.

"Hm, We've been walking around a long time, haven't we Ototo?" Itachi slowed down to Sasuke's tiny pace. (Which to him, was more like a crawl on two legs.)

"_Yes_," Young Sasuke dragged his feet his face drooping, as he let himself practically be dragged around.

"Why don't we stop to eat?"

Sasuke immediately brightened, "Yes!"

Itachi let a sly grin snake it's way across his face before it faded back to monotone, "There is a dango shop over there-"

The young ravenette looked nauseated, and wrinkled his nose "_Yuck, _no."

Itachi slipped on a mildly offended look, "Dango isn't _yuck." _

Sasuke snorted, "That's what you think, too many sweets and you'll get so big you will have to roll over your enemies, Nee-san." Young Sasuke teased.

It was Itachi's turn to snort, then poke his brother's forehead in warning. "Don't be insulting, Ototo."

But both brother's knew that with the amount of training Itachi put himself through-that any kind of fat that dared to enter Uchiha Itachi's body quickly became muscle out of fear of the mighty weasel. (Oh, you think that's an exaggeration?)

Young Sasuke just smirked, "Alright then," His older brother consented, "Where do you want to go?"

Immediately Sasuke thought of Ichiraku's Ramen stand…then changed his mind. "How about Fengureek Salads?" (A salad that usually consisted of bean sprouts, onions, beans, tomatoes, lettuce, carrots, red peppers. Usually very bitter due to some spices and igredients.)

Itachi wrinkled his nose slightly, "…Next place little brother."

Sasuke looked a little ticked, "Com'onn!" He made his little black swirls go wide with innocence, "Please?"

Itachi tilted his face away from the puppy eye attack, and grimaced "No."

_Figures Itachi could be the only one to resist puppy eyes. _

"Resisting the puppy eyes…" Young Sasuke muttered under his breath, "Does he think he's the equivalent to Chuck Norris?" He grumbled.

"What was that?" Itachi asked his little brother curiously.

"Nothing!" Sasuke quickly specified none too quickly, Itachi narrowed his eyes but dropped it, "Alright…"

In the end both brothers decided on a BBQ shop, _Hey, _Sasuke thought idly glancing around the shop in a curious fashion, _Isn't this where Team Ino-Shika-Cho ate in the canon?_

Sasuke spotted the booth in the corner and a shiver traveled up his spine, _they will sit there one day, holy crap I feel like I'm meeting celebrities. _

Sasuke shook himself out of his ravine, his brother ordered BBQ pork with a side of grilled salad.(Literally, lettuce grilled and then roasted in whatever dressing you choose, it takes salad to a whole 'nother level.) With a side of Gyokuro Tea (Sasuke's favorite.)

Sasuke licked his lips while waiting for the order, "Neesan," He muttered, "You're going for the jonin exam soon, aren't you?"

Itachi nodded solemnly, he'd be away from his brother an e_ntire month, _in the future he'd have to get used to not seeing Sasuke for longer periods of time. The chunin exam was _hell _in war time. An inner part of Itachi _hated _that, but accepted he needed to spend time away from his family. When Sasuke got to be join, he'd see more of Itachi, especially if they become the same rank.

Itachi didn't daydream of the future often, but when he did he saw his brother and himself as equals, he saw them growing old together, he saw themselves teaching cute little Genin teams together. Normally Itachi tried to shove these daydreams out and lock them up, just because the war with Iwa was over didn't mean there weren't tensions in-between countries, Itachi knew war loomed on the horizon.

War.

War never decides who is right. It decides who's left.

And those who have seen war, never stop seeing it.

When Itachi was a Genin he saw war, he saw the desperation and people fighting tooth and nail to live. He saw limbs hacked off, and shinobi bleed out into the hard cracked earth. There was no honor. No gentility, there was _nothing_ good in any of it. Either side. The only good thing about war was the end of it.

Itachi had trembled the first time he entered the battlefield, _this-_ He realized, _this was the reality. _Shinobi weren't completely inhumane, even the best became afraid. So while so begged and pleaded, others stayed silent, like Itachi. Courage didn't mean you weren't scared. It meant you went anyway.

That's why Itachi became somewhat of a pacifist, he understood the measures Kages took by sacrificing the life of one man over hundreds. It was _horrible_.

It was _honorable_.

Sometimes winning is just finishing. Itachi fought and trained so he'd be able to protect his loved ones from war, because there never was a good war and a bad peace.

Know thy self, know thy enemy. A thousands battles, a thousand victories. (Sun Tzu)

Itachi lived by these wisdoms, for he wanted to attain true peace. He wanted to protect his little brother from the harming cause of war, Itachi only hoped Sasuke would not be dragged into it.

The waitress brought out the food to the two Uchiha boys with a smile, "BBQ Pork and grilled salad-" She introduced to plate to the table, "Enjoy!"

Itachi and Sasuke nodded their thanks, "Itadakimasu!" _Thank you for this meal. _

Both brothers ate in silence, Itachi chanced a glance at the younger, Sasuke was eating the pork with a delightful smile on his face.

Itachi wasn't stupid, he knew there was tension between the clans and Konoha. Ever since the Nine-Tails attack people had been wary, if not fearful of the Uchiha Clan…The Clan was angry, making complaints of only being sectored to the police force. The Clan believed that they should have been more incorporated into the system in Konoha, but after the attack Konoha was suspicious and didn't let the clan grow further into their society. Because of this the Uchiha had started pointing their fingers back at the Senju. (Which made little to no sense to Itachi, why did they blame their ancestors for something that happened years later? Did they really want to be in the raging war times between the Senju and Uchiha?)

Itachi looked at his innocent little brother, squirming in his seat with a funny expression as he chowed his salad. Itachi noted with dim amusement Sasuke's eyes were screwed shut and mouth chewing with a smile. His younger brother was making happy noises as he noisily shoved more food in his mouth, Itachi's mouth upturned, as he looked around the patrons of the restaurant, more or less staring at Sasuke in disgust. Sasuke's food inhalation was speedy and quick, and he ate a lot (which Itachi suspected was due to all of that training.) _He's making himself a fool. _Itachi thought fondly as he smirked at his younger sibling, then his eyes turned grave in remembrance, _What if I'm not able to protect Sasuke?_

He threaded his hands together and a quiet, determined glint got in his eyes, _Protecting…That's what big brothers are for…I'll protect him at any cost._

Sasuke was much too full, he squirmed in his seat uncomfortably. Pressure was building up…_down there. _

"Uh, Nee-san?" Itachi jerked his head out of thought and starred at his brother's pleading eyes. "Is there a bathroom here?" Itachi nodded, "It's by the door, on your right."

Sasuke hopped out of his seat, not wasting any time, "Thanks brother!"

Itachi chuckled and sipped on his tea, "That kid," He smirked at the antics of his younger sibling. Somehow his little brother pulled off being smart and stupid all at once.

Young Sasuke didn't think twice when he bounded up to the two doors. Smiling and sticking his hands in his pockets he entered the restroom. _Ugh, Finally! I need to piss like a racehorse!_

Sasuke walked past the woman who was putting on makeup in the mirror what he didn't see was she popped her mouth open in shock. Then she screeched, "_AAAII! GET OUT, GET OUT!"_

I jumped andI _didn't_ squeak. I didn't. I didn't flip my shit.

Scared out of my mind I looked towards the source of the shouts to find a bunch of women staring at me with twisted expressions. What? What were they staring at?

"Huh?" I asked smartly.

The trio of ladies cracked their knuckles, "_YOU LITTLE PERVERT_!"

Then it registered.

I had waltzed into the women's bathroom.

I was still Sasuke Uchiha.

From his seat Itachi could hear the screams of his little brother, sweeping to his feet he was across the restaurant in an instant and through the door…

Only to be puzzled it was the _ladies_ restroom he had walked into, Sasuke was in a pitiful pile on the floor, three giant goose eggs piled like rocks on his head.

"May I make a query as to what happened here?"

One red faced bulbous woman face turn an ugly maroon, "That little _pervert _snuck in here to peep on us!"

Itachi raised a brow and looked at his brother who was currently sporting a fetal position, "I assure you my _four year old_ _brother_, is _not_ a pervert. I don't even believe he knows what the word means." He paused looking at the woman's aback face, "I believe this is a simple mistake," He bowed low, "I apologize for the inconvenience." Then Itachi grabbed Sasuke's pathetic form and dragged him out.

Itachi rolled his eyes "At least if you are going to the bathroom, go in the _right_ one this time will you?

I snapped out of whatever self-pity I had been in, "I didn't mean it?"

Itachi raised a brow, "I'd be afraid if you did." He drawled.

I pouted childishly, "And-I know what pervert means."

A _flying poke_ hit me at my forehead "Ow!" I glared up at him, "What was that for?!"

"For being an idiot." He smirked and pushed me towards the _men's_ restroom.

My mouth popped open, _he did not just go there. _I growled as I flung the door open, "I declare war! I'll make you eat those words!" I shouted to the whole restaurant as I marched into the _guy's _restaurant.

I made a large gulp, at the compound there had never been 'women's' and 'men's' signs, there had just been bathrooms. Women and Men's bathrooms, not deciding what gender.

I naturally thought of myself a girl, but I was _so painfully_ male.

That meant in public, I had to act as one.

_The best lies are always the truth_. So that meant…I …needed to think of myself as the opposite gender, my bodies gender…

Which meant…

I had a dick.

Yeah as a _mature_ _adult_, I could suck it up and deal in a private setting no one to watch me make funny faces at me _not being a woman. _My mind kept thinking of what would happen when I hit puberty _but I didn't want to think about it_.

Could you blame me?

_I didn't want to think about it. _

I had to except I was the male gender and I…had a penis.

I had a motherfucking penis.

_Don't think about puberty don't think about puberty don't think about-fuck._

I didn't mean to be insulting, but I _liked_ being a woman. People underestimated you, and you could manipulate your wiles and get the things you want.

As a guy shit was just given to you and you had to make do with it.

There were both different ways of getting the same thing, not saying opposite genders couldn't be sneaky or brawn.

I'm getting myself so confused.

But anyway, I had to suck shit up and get on with it.

It was really awkward when Itachi wanted a bath with his "kid brother." Didn't ask me or anything, just came in and plopped down in the water. ("Erm- uhm- aa? Eei?" "You need a clean back." Was all his explanation was.)

While it was cute, I couldn't help but think it was every fan girls fucked up dream.

IF I wasn't a _guy_, and his _brother_.

Also, I had no more fan girl in me, I knew more about Itachi than I _wanted_ to know. Trust me when I say he's the devil in disguise because if you annoy him, he can make your life _living hell_. Tsukuyomi aside.

Did I mention they had hot springs? _Hot springs_?

I'm totally not a pervert just saying-but wouldn't it odd if Sasuke Uchiha died because he drowned while having a nosebleed? While in the _men's_ hot springs? (If it was the woman's people would be able to discern accordingly.)

Actually…I wonder what people would say…

Bad thoughts! _Badthoughtsbadthoughtsbadthoughts!_

I was fine (Okay, a little less than fine but at least I wasn't freaking out like a little girl who's afraid of cooties.) –for the most part-dealing with my own…development. (Aka MY PENIS.) But it was others I had a problem with.

(Opps sorry, but I really don't want you waving that thing in my face, especially when I'm waist height. Gross man. I'm not a virgin sure –duh, I had a DAUGHTER- but I don't want you to scar me for life. Oh, you're talking about how women are lesser than you? Do you want a kunai up your ass?)

I was probably the only kid on the block that reacted explosively when women were joked about or put down. (Itachi thought some women had scarred me for life, poor bloke, if he only knew…)

I miss being a woman. A sexy, (okay, maybe a little less of that.) curvy woman, who could wear whatever she wanted and not get ridiculed for it.

(I couldn't wear a _dress_ now could I?) I could act cute, but I couldn't act 'cute-sy' for long or people may get leery. (Flying under the radar here, remember? Twenty year old in a toddler's body is a recipe for disaster.)

I had never worn dresses often, and most of my closet had consisted of jogging clothes (working, single mother here people.) But once in a while I still liked to get all fancy and pretty, I had make up and heels too. I missed being a woman. Can you see Sasuke Uchiha wearing purple eye shadow with yellow pumps and a designer handbag? (Can you imagine what _Itachi_ would say?)

Sasuke the Drag Queen….

Anyway, after my brother so _graciously_ shoved me into the bathroom. I realized another problem, there weren't soft toilets like the ones back at _home, _at the _compound_.

Only _urinals_.

_Three_ urinals to be exact, no _toilets_.

_Oh please no one come in, no one come in! I think I might just crawl in a hole an die!_

I picked the one farthest from the door, and just started 'doing my business' when the door swung open. _Shit_.

_A _**huge**_ motherfucking_ man lumbers through the door, his head brushed the top of the doorframe, and his shoulders filled it from side to side. He blinked as he took in the scene of a ratty little kid doing his business in one of the lovely porcelain urinals. (Lovely my ass.)

"Hello!" His voice was big and loud, my cheeks reddened from humiliation as I turned back, he _bounded_ over to the urinal _next_ to me and unzipped his own zipper.

_Really? You have to pick the urinal __**next**__ to me?_

Apparently he didn't notice my dead panned expression, because he started out jabbering about how much he loved Konoha.

_Well I don't like you bucky_. I come up to your knees, your private part is right next to my face, and I'm really really _really_ disgusted.

_Eewww_.

Then he made a joke and nudged me accidentally, being the most amazing age of four- I almost fell over. Taking no notice he still went on, _What the fuck was tha-?_

I was jostled again and I tried to jerk the opposite direction to balance myself.

_That asshole!_

Forget humiliation, I wanted to tear this guy's _head_ off. I seethed quietly to myself, this guy is an idiot!

_Get __**out**__._

Still jabbing his mouth off about how much he likes sushi compared to the BBQ Pork, but how he still likes the pork here, he laughs and pushes me a third time.

Zipping his fly up, he turned to me and looked at my urinal. Nose scrunched up he commented, "You need to work on your aim, kid. If the manager sees this she'll flip her lid, she can get pretty bipolar… " Then he walked away.

_Youmotheroffuckingdipshit **8$$I'mgonnaKILLyousonofabitch!_

I looked down at the ugly mess he left me with.

I hate people. I really really hate people.

I grabbed paper towels from the sink, I hate being a kid. I hate being a guy the only thing that could be worse in this situation is-

"Sasuke?"

_Itachi_.

**Shit**.

I could only imagine what he saw; his frustrated little brother taking paper towels and bending over the urinal scrubbing off excess urine.

There was a long, awkward silence.

Itachi pinched the bridge of his nose, "Do I want to know what happened, Ototo?"

"It involved a eccentric guy who liked to push little kids around."

Itachi sighed and rubbed his face, "Let's just go home…"

I never heard the end of that one.


	7. The Uchiha Massacre

"Until you walk a mile

In another man's moccasins

You can't imagine the smell."

–Robert Byrne

Chapter 7: The Uchiha Massacre

_A never ending dream of a wasted space, darkness swirls around her body. "Here, again?" She sighed and rubbed her forehead, "What's it going to be this time? Evil voices? Voices swearing revenge for something I'm not sure I did?"_

_A light chuckle echoes around her, it wasn't evil but lighter, but mildly amused. _

_Then the shadows wrapped around her and pulled her under, _

_"Oi!" _

_An slightly older Sasuke walked away from his team, "Oi, Teme!" _

_"Hn?" Sasuke turns around in question, Naruto is standing there with a scowl adorned his face. _

_"Me, Kakashi-sensei, and Sakura-chan are going to go get Ichiraku's after that Wave Mission, Kakashi-sensei said he'd treat us!" Sakura in the background looked hopeful as she gazed upon her crush, Kakashi was reading his orange book, per usual._

_Sasuke sighed and stuck his hands in his pockets, he knew he'd get hell from Kakashi later if he didn't show up…Boring lectures from an old man weren't Sasuke's idea of fun, though he hardly categorized anything in the category. "Whatever." But Sasuke turned to the direction of the Ramen Stand._

_"Yeah!" Naruto shouted and pointed in the direction, "Ramen, here I come!" Naruto sped off to the ramen stand, leaving his team behind. _

_"Let's get a move on, shall we?" Kakashi drawled. _

_Sakura gulped as she stared at her teacher, 'A chance to see what's behind that old mask of his!'_

_The rest of Team Seven arrived at the infamous Ramen Stand, "Haa! There you are! What took you guys so long?!" Naruto pouted back at them, bowl of untouched ramen already steaming in front of him. _

_"It's your fault you ran ahead like an idiot." _

_"Want to say that again Teme?!" _

_"You're deaf too. Dobe." _

_"Aah! I'll totally kick your ass-ttebayo!"_

_Sasuke snorted in gruff amusement, as a bowl of miso ramen was placed in front of him, he nodded his thanks to Ayame, the Ramen stand waitress. "As if."_

_Naruto twitched at being ignored, "I'll show you!" _

_Kakashi held Naruto by his collar, "Maa, Naruto if you just wanted Sasuke you could just ask him out." _

_"W-What?! Gross Kakashi-sensei!"_

_Sasuke's face morphed into disgust, "For once I agree with the dobe, that's absolutely revolting." _

_"Sasuke-kun wouldn't go out with Naruto! He doesn't roll that way! Cha!" Sakura punched the air from her seat. _

_Kakashi smiled under his mask, he had successfully diverted the situation, and possible destruction of the Ramen Stand. (Which Naruto would surely kill Sasuke for.) _

_Time seemed to slow down as he reached for his pork ramen, from the corner of his eye he watched as the three genin leaned in to watch him eat eagerly, in his head he smiled, cute little genin ducks. His genin reminded him of ducks waddling after their mother. _

_All they wanted to see was if their poor poor sensei wore a mask because he was deformed. He chuckled in his head, oh, how he loved screwing with people's heads. So in a blink of an eye he turned to face the wall and chow down the entire bowl in less than five seconds. _

_It was more than Naruto could ever hope to compete with, Kakashi sighed, satisfied with the food in his stomach and the flabbergasted genin. The joys of being an elite jonin._

Kelly awoke from the dream, confused.

What was that?

Why was she dreaming about this stuff?

…

I hardly ever had a childhood. Between Naruto-Kiba and my family I felt like I had one. Sure, a fucked up one, where I was training to be an assassin, but a childhood never the less.

In my past life I had been forced to grow up at an early age to take care of my younger sister. My parents weren't that bad-they could have been much, much worse, but to me, we were like invisible to them. They were so caught up in their hatred for one another that we were kind of stranded out in the middle of the ocean. So I took care of my sister from a ripe age of seven.

This world may have forced children to grow up early, sure, but I had parents that hardly disagreed and funneled their energy into productive things. So, for a while I could pretend I was a kid before I faced the ultimate horrors of this world (snakes & spiders, duh.)

I was happy with it, I was pretty content to just roll on these waves of lazy and put reality off till later.

I knew Karma would sic that sick puppy on my ass. I didn't mean Akamaru either.

And it did.

…

Itachi was acting strange.

Quiet, inverted and private around everybody. I tried pulling him out for a walk and he resisted, going back to "Anbu Business."

Anbu business my ass. I couldn't prank-er-trap him anymore either, because he was an Anbu _Captain_, and saw right through my pranks. (Damn ninja.) I wouldn't dare pranking my father, and my mother…was too sweet to prank. Quiet and reserved, plus a kunochi angered is a kunochi feared.

No one dares to anger Mikoto Uchiha. Not even Fugaku.

Anyway, I calculated the years grimly.

It was close to that time wasn't it?

Though I thought the Massacre happened when Sasuke was seven.

How do you prepare for something like that? How do you stop it?

I could go to the Hokage. But what good would that bring them? I could go to the Uchiha, but I'd probably fuel the rebellion. I could go to Itachi, and force him to kill me because I knew too much information? I could threaten Danzo.

I wouldn't last an hour.

I snorted to myself, stupid.

I wasn't crazy to go to the other bad guy, Tobi. But…there was really no one but myself in this situation. Talking to my friends about it-and drag them down with me? Besides, I only had Kiba and Naruto (goes to show my conversation skills.) Let's face it-they wouldn't be able to keep a secret like this. They wouldn't understand either.

I had no way out but trying to subtely and innocently nudge my clan into the light.

Perhaps, by being here and causing such…disruption to the clan (and it's pride) that I had stopped it from ever happening?

Perhaps I was completely naive in saying that but…I loved them. I loved my family, they grew to me like my old family did. I saw a lot of stern faces, but I saw smiles and love too. At first, I didn't want to grow close, I knew their fate I knew I'd hurt at their loss-but Fate wasn't so kind…

Maybe I wasn't Sasuke Uchiha, I was loud, immature, and energetic. But it didn't mean I was shallow. I hurt, I bled, I cried. I loved.

These people didn't deserve their fate. They didn't deserve being put out by the village or by Danzo's and "Madara's" plans, they didn't deserve it, for the effort they put in this village. Yes, the Uchiha had flaws, such as their pride, but it didn't merit animosity for something they had no control over. Everyone suspected the Uchiha behind the Kyuubi attack. There was no proof pointing to a dead man. Eight years later who was I to convince the truth? I was a mere infant at the time-other than my brother Itachi who was there. I was no good at holding back my 'intellect' as proven on that night, I believe now that he only stayed silent because of his loyalty to his younger brother.

Someone in the Uchiha clan made a very scary comment to me.

They said I was like that kid with goggles.

They were referring to Obito Uchiha. Before going all Tobito he had been loyal, loud, (late), obnoxious. But he had a lot of guts and a lot of emotion.

My Father was reluctant to say I was his son. (I pull _traps_ on the Uchiha. Not pranks.) A part of me found this very, very funny. But another more serious realized the only reason I wasn't ostracized was because I have the possibility of the Sharingan and I have potential like my brother to at least be a (decent) ninja. But I was ridiculed for my temper, my pranks and my loud voice.

I could never be like a normal Uchiha, deadpanned expression- emotions successfully hidden. I couldn't be an Uchiha in that sense. But I supported the clan in their decisions because they were in a tough corner.

For instance: if you were texting your best friend about inviting people to a get together or something then all the sudden autocorrect pulls a douche move and instead of "I really don't think we should invite your _Miranda_. I don't really like her." What if it was "I really don't think we should invite your _Mother_. I don't really like her."

Only your best friend's mother is _dead_ and is a touchy subject with your best friend. Then he gets all mad and isn't listening to you because of stupid autocorrect.

Wouldn't you get all mad when your friend flipped his shit at you because he thought you were making horrible "Yo momma jokes?" When you were really trying to talk about his girlfriend who just won't shut up? Wouldn't you get defensive? "Dude, it wasn't my fault." "LISTEN TO ME. It was a COMPLETE ACCIDENT! It was that bastard _autocorrect_!"

That pathetic example was kind of what happened to the Uchiha. Autocorrect would be Madara, Your friend would be Konoha, the Mother would be the Nine-Tailed Demon fox, and the unfortunate Uchiha, you.

Can you picture the big Nine-tailed beast being a mother? I _can't_. I unfortunately can't see it dead either. I think Fluffy is immortal. (SPOILER (kinda): At least I think the tailed beasts are, the Sanbi was supposed to die without being extracted from Rin but then it was revived much later. So the tailed beast truly are immortal?)

Wouldn't it just be awesome to just come back from the dead and say, "Yeah bitches, I'm _alive_."

Now that I think about it, wasn't that kind of what Obito did?

…

The last time I saw Shisui was when I was eating origiri out on the deck of our house.

"Hey kid!"

"Mmrff!" I chocked. Not ready to be greeted so exuberantly. I coughed, "Shisui." I deadpanned.

"Haven't seen you in a while, how's it been?" He plopped down next to me, sweating stink-probably from training.

"You know…training, traps, lectures, training…"

He chuckled, "Traps? You mean those pranks-"

I shushed him, "Be quiet! You'll ruin my reputation!" I looked around suspiciously.

"What reputation? You don't have one!" He laughed, "Though I must say…you've come a long way from sniffing scrolls."

"Shut _up_. We agreed it never happened!" I hissed. It was one of my most embarrassing moments, other than Naruto's Great Green Slob prank. (Don't ask.) Usually I was the one embarrassing people, not me being embarrassed.

There was a difference.

"_You_ said it never happened. Not I."

I stuck out my tongue. In a flash he grabbed it and yanked on it, "For future reference," he smirked, "Don't stick your tongue out at a shinobi, brat."

I glared, "Gffn offh!"

"Come again?"

My eyes narrowed, with another bout of laughter, he released my tongue and ruffled my hair. "Baka…" I muttered under my breath.

He twitched, then I was in headlock, "What was that, kid?"

I cleared my throat, "I called you an _idiot_!" A small, masochistic part of me loved baiting people. I loved to prod them and stretch their limits, and by the way it always seemed to blow up in my face I considered myself a slight masochist.

An evil gleam appeared in my cousin's eyes, I was flipped on the deck laying on my back. My cousin hovered over me, "I'll make you eat those words!"

Then to my _complete_ bafflement he started _tickling _me. Me. Little Sasuke Uchiha with a whole lot of attitude, Itachi's little brother and Clan son.

For a instant there was an uncomprehensive silence, as he awkwardly shoved his fingers into my side and neck, and… I started to giggle. "_Hehehe-hehahahe!"_

"Take it back!"

This was the last goddamn thing I expected out of Shisui. Out of any _Uchiha_. Really? Tickling?

This was _humiliating_. Always expect the unexpected.

Especially awkward being a grown woman in a child's body, I had to remember that I was _not_ Kelly but young, "_innocent_" Sasuke. (It really puts a perspective on things, doesn't it?)

"Ahaha! Kay-_Stop_, heheha! I take it back_! I take it back!"_

The bastard kept going, "Say…hmm, Shisui is the most awesome."

I tried to glare, this was so…_degrading_! Less funny as insulting! I lashed out with my fists and feet, but he just chuckled. I would have felt better perhaps if he dodged, then he'd at least notice them. But he let my hardest punches and kicks roll off him like water, all while I was choking on my laughs. "Com'on Sasuke! You'll die soon, death by tickling!"

I grumbled, "Screw you bastard."

He jabbed me in the side, "Ow! Ow! Fine, I relent."

He paused, "Oh, relent to what?" His hands hovered over threatening me.

"To…Nothing!"

He growled and I tried my best to keep his hands off of tickling me. After a while we stopped, me, winded, Shisui just looking all smug. He had waved to me and ran off towards his home in the compound.

That was the last time I saw Shisui Uchiha. No goodbye, no warning, nothing, but another happy memory to add to the pile of regret.

…

That day I had to complete my homework, and stay after class for 'extra strength and conditioning.' (_Sexist bastards_.)

But then after that the teacher _insisted_ I talk to him about my grades, (apparently I shouldn't be doing my workbook stuff in class or he'd shave off points off my participation grade.)

I just scoffed. My participation grade was only down because they refused to call on the great Konoha prankster! (The _best_ Konoha prankster!)

I had been returning late that night from training, I was sweaty, covered in grim from head to toe. (The joys of being a Ninja-in-Training, ya know?)Dirt smear across my gray capris, and cuts littered my hands and knees. All I wanted was to draw up a nice warm bath maybe have some more origiri…Or that leftover Matcha cake…

I tiredly kicked open the gate of the compound and paused, it was kind of quiet tonight. Maybe I had stayed up later than I thought?

Then the raw stench of blood drifted into my nostrils. A wretched feeling settled over me. I utterly froze, ice could've been hotter than me. My blood turned cold and panic rose desperately in my chest.

Oh no. _Not tonight_. Please. Please if someone up there had _mercy_.

My eyes drifted to the Telephone pole. Itachi was watching me, then his form blurred and disappeared. "No. No _please_." I bit my lip, I hadn't seen any bodies yet. But I hadn't moved either.

But the _stench_.

I had half the mind to turn away and run. But I couldn't do that. This was my home, where would I run? To the Hokage that ordered this? To Kiba's whose clan would probably throw me out for being a "traitorous" Uchiha? To Naruto's-why would he take his rival in when he knows Sasuke has a happy family? To the Academy-where would I hide there?

Should I just hide in some ditch somewhere and pray that this is just a really bad dream?

Besides that-would Itachi kill me? I wasn't his "precious" little brother. I was more of a pain to him to most of his life.

Would I be afraid to die-a second time?

I'd say yes, yes I was a sliver afraid. I didn't want to be reincarnated and go through hell again. I also…had gotten used to this body and life rather quickly.

I took a deep breath in and out. I smelled blood sure, but that didn't mean anyone of the Uchiha was dead, right? Haha-I'm sure they are just giving me a taste of their own medicine. My presence changed everything. No more Coup d'état-nothing! Just a clan who's being discriminated for something we didn't do…

Who was I kidding?

I inched forward. _There's nothing to be afraid of Sasuke_. I told myself. I wasn't Kelly. I was Sasuke. Wasn't I? Or was I Kelly? But if I'm Kelly shouldn't I have died? Would I die a second time?

I turned the corner, and closed my eyes with a shakily gasp.

Tonight was the night.

Tonight was the night my family died. The time my family abandoned me _again_. First in will, second in death. I cursed both of my lives. I felt like I was drowning, panic coming up to grip my throat. Death laughing in my face, poor poor delusional girl. _My presence changed everything, ne?_

How could I have changed _one_ thing? Was I that _useless_? My hands shook at my sides.

I owed these people their lives for my _cowardliness_. I could've spoken up couldn't I? I could have said it wouldn't work. But I didn't did I? I was too afraid I'd change too much, too afraid for my own _hide_.

How wrong was I?

But what could I have done?

To delude myself with jokes and pranks and not see the bitter truth? I knew what would happen and I didn't stop it? I couldn't stop it? Then because I was so weak, I deluded myself and surrounded myself with a fake illusion of a happy childhood? Even knowing all of this…future? How pitiful was I-how despicable? I chocked on a sob.

Who was I? This _wasn't_ me. Someone who was just playing this life like it was some fucked up jeopardy game. I _knew_ this was real, so why didn't I act like this was real? Why hadn't I acted?

I _knew_ these bodies. I recognized them. My breath became short, uneven gasps, unwilling tears started to make paths down my cheeks.

'Breathe.' I blinked. '_Breathe_, Kelly!'

_Inner_.

That voice suddenly became a bastard into my best friend, my rock in the river, my savior.

Yes. I was a coward. Yes, I was a despicable fool. Yes, I hated myself. Yes, I had to face every single clan member I had come to love be slaughtered.

But I wasn't alone.

_I wasn't alone._

'_Inner_.' I greeted duly. _'I'm sorry. I'm so sorry... I failed. I could've done something couldn't I? I could've stopped this!_' I felt like I had to apologize but it was a part of myself that I hated, and now had come to love. Inner had helped me. Period.

I stood in a daze, staring at the bodies, waiting for Inner to respond. With a start I realized _whose_ body I was staring at, "Machiko Uchiha." I said out loud. My cousin.

My throat closed.

The voice in my head started with hesitance: 'In the end. People's actions are their own. There's not much you or I could've done. They made their decision.' The vocal sound in my head cracked with grief, 'I don't think we could've done anything either way. The information would have would still motivate Konoha to order the death of the Uchiha, and if you went to the Uchiha they would've hurt you, Itachi, or definitely risen against Konoha even more firmly. If you had went to Itachi he might not have been the one to do this. I believe…' he paused, 'I believe you need to be alive for what's ahead.'

Tears still leaked from my eyes, '_I'm still so sorry. I could've done something other than just sit around_.'

'But you didn't sit around. You spent as much time as you could with the family between training and…_traps_." He said the last word with an annoyed hiss, "You made each moment _count_.'

I nodded to myself and start to walk, each body I saw I said their names aloud, "Mahoko Uchiha." Cousin.

"Aiko Uchiha." Uncle.

"Daichi Uchiha." Cousin.

"Ibuki Uchiha." Cousin.

"Osamu Uchiha." Distant Great Uncle, Clan Elder.

"Mahiru Uchiha" Aunt.

"Ikkaku Uchiha." Cousin.

"Ouji Uchiha." Distant Cousin.

"Ouga Uchiha." Little Cousin.

"Funato Uchiha." Great Uncle, Clan Elder.

"Saiki Uchiha." Cousin.

"Saita Uchiha" Cousin.

"Sakuya Uchiha." Aunt.

I faltered, "Uruchi Uchiha…Auntie…" I looked to the other next to her body, "Teyaki Uchiha….Uncle…" I closed my eyes again, hoping to burn the images from the back of my eyes, "I hope…you are peaceful…"

I looked up at my house, '_Inner_.'

I didn't know how, but somehow he braced himself, and against him-so did I. 'I'll be here.' He said resolutely.

I went through the motions of taking my shoes off, why did I take them off? I wondered. If I had to fight for my life wouldn't I need them? Maybe it was for the sake of normalcy. Maybe it was why my mind was dwelling on this. To rid myself of that pain, sorrow, and _hatred_. I hated no one more than _myself_.

I could've done _something_. "I'm such a fool." I whispered.

I approached the room from the porch with a shuffle. Could Itachi hear me? Smell my fear that reeked of sweat?

I closed my eyes. I _owed_ this to Itachi. I was such a coward that I…It would be like a morbid goodbye. A sickening goodbye, he'd try to leave me to the bones of revenge and hate. Either that or he'd kill me.

Why? Why try and let me succumb even further into the dark?

Hell, why would he even be here? Why couldn't Konoha lay the blame on someone else other than my brother? Itachi could still stay here…

But would his guilt allow him too? Because I knew mine sure wouldn't.

He left for his _sanity_. Not just his brother. If the Uchiha massacre was blamed on someone else then how would Itachi hold under the pressure of seeing his little brother train for 'revenge' against the 'wrong' person?

I was in front of the door. The door to the room we did our meditating.

My bare foot splashed in fluid. I picked my foot up surprised, _red, _the light of the moon allowed me to see the dark stains. Bile welled in my throat, I had stepped in my parent's _blood_.

My heart pounded, and I grasped the handle in a halfhearted grip.

My tears at dried slightly from entering the house till when I arrived here. But they once again pooled in my eyes, I bit my lip hard, enough to cause blood to gather on my lip.

I opened the door.

It was the same sight I had seen in the anime. Except then, I had no attachments. I no feelings for what was going on, except, maybe pity.

_It was an completely different ball game, now that I had been reincarnated and loved fully with no strings attached._

My father's body lay over my mother's, almost as if shielding her from any pain of her death.

"Tou-san…Kaa-san" I didn't realize the words had left my lips. Tears started making their tracks down my cheeks again, _I'm so sorry. Please, forgive me_. _I failed_. I failed simply by doing _nothing_.

My brother stepped out of the shadows, his eyes not quite on me. I bit my lip again.

"Aniki…"

A kunai whizzed past my cheek. My eyes widened as I took two steps back. I gritted my teeth and placed a hand on my bleeding cheek. Too close. But I didn't even see it thrown, how could I have dodged if he wanted to lodge that in my head?

He could've killed me right then. I narrowed my eyes.

"I see you've finally realized..." His eyes turned to mine, "I almost pity you, foolish little brother."

"Itachi…" It was another stab to my heart. _What was he thinking behind that cold mask of indifference_? Tears mingled with my blood and stung the wound with its salt.

"Mangekyou Sharingan."

_Shit_. For a second, nothing happen, then I felt myself stuck in a different world where the sky was red and the building's was as black as shadows.

Then came _physical_ _pain_. I clutched my head horrified, does this come with the Mangekyou too? This horrible, blinding migraine? It almost crippled me and it took away some of my eyesight.

'Concentrate, Kelly…'

I was on the streets of the Uchiha plot in Konoha. I stood twenty feet from my brother, I watched through a blur helplessly as my clan approached Itachi, trying to attack him from all sides.

"Damn it Itachi! Put an end to this!" I screamed. It was one thing to see the product of my failure, but another to see it happening. Tears flowed like a river, I could see black shapes moved and be cut down through the agony, I collapsed to my knees. It tore me _apart_, into tiny little pieces.

But if I was torn, Itachi must've been _shattered_.

It saw black blobs jump at a single, unmoving blot. Was that Itachi? I winced from the pain. I didn't understand-why was this happening? I didn't remember there being any physical pain from Mangekyou unless Itachi was physically doing it. I 'threw up' dizzily, was that real? The gross mess down my shirt and pants?

I hazily looked up to see Itachi, still staring with the cold indifference. Next to me two figures appeared catching my eye, no…_Aunt_, _Uncle_…In one full rotation they were cut down.

I _screamed_.

_I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry_.

Then the scene shifted back to that meditating room, Itachi was standing above our parents with a sword raised. Their expressions were blank as he chopped them down. I cried out, stretching my hands out in a futile motion. My head pounded even more with reverberating agony.

It's another thing to try to prepare yourself to see this. But another all together to see it happen in front of you.

The scene shifted and changed and I was back in the room. I took hardly any notice of the smell that clung to me, I was literally sitting in a puddle of my own puke, and needlessly I collapsed and drew my arms tight around me. Trying to make myself as small as possible.

"Why…?" I wasn't talking to Itachi, I was talking to myself.

Why hadn't I stopped this? Who cared if it was impossible? Why did I think I could possibly live through this? I didn't want to live through this!

"To test the limits, of my ability."

I snorted suddenly angry. I hadn't been talking to him in the beginning, but I was very upset since I _knew_ it was a complete utter lie!

I…I was not going to live my new second life under any more _illusions_. Either created by myself or him!

"I call _Bullshit_." I hissed, I think it was the first time he had ever heard me swear before. Tears and snot ran down my cheeks and I tried to make my cracking voice as loud as possible. "If you wanted to _test_ _your ability_, you would have approached other, stronger, Shinobi in the village-need I remind you that our Clan is _also_ made up of _civilians_? If you wanted to better yourself you would have challenged those Shinobi and perhaps kill them in secret. So I call _bullshit_! You're _lying_! You did this for another reason!"

It wasn't smart calling Itachi out, pushing him farther than he already was. But I didn't _care_ anymore. A part of me that had always joked about death, yearned for it at this moment.

Where was all the justice I was going to bring now? What amazing hero was going to save me from this?

No one.

No one that's who.

The silence was deafening. "I've despised this wretched clan for an extensive time." He paused, letting the words sink into the diseased air, "I did it to test the Uchiha Clan. They presented me an instrument to simply be put to use by their own ends. But did they deserve those ends? Was the Uchiha Clan as mighty as rumored? Or was _I_ even greater? Had I raised above the ones I once had called a 'home'? So I devised an experiment. As you see-it is of great importance not just to assess myself, but the pathetic Clan as well. Who would be mightier? The Uchiha or I?" He gestured to the bodies of our dead parents, "As you can see, they _failed _to prove themselves worthy of the name Uchiha. Failed to prove of worth to me…"

I shuddered in disgust, Itachi was truly a master of deception. From those few words-and even already knowing the truth-_I wanted to tear his throat out_.

Itachi had realized his first explanation would not work in the slightest, so he tweaked it. By using his new and evolved 'distance' from before, he played it off as an ego-thinking he was above everyone else. He had truly changed these past months. He hadn't suddenly went out and _said_ he was a killer, he _become_ a killer. He made himself _evolve_ for the sake of others. His new statements didn't congregate his previous one, saying he wanted to test _himself_. He now stated he wanted to test the clan, not Konoha. He played it off as incredibly selfish and cold.

By saying he wanted to 'test' the Uchiha, he put them down only if only to strengthen Sasuke's 'revenge.' Because he was the murderer he assumed anything he said now would be overcome with Konoha's mourn and the actual reputation of the Uchiha. Everything here was a well-placed illusion from the start.

If I hadn't had been Kelly I would've believed him. Hell, I did almost believed him.

I looked at the cold man, and indulged him, if I pushed him any farther than this would he be forced to kill me as well?

Just the fact that I was alive was proof to me I wouldn't die today. If he was going to kill me, why say the truth?

Perhaps one more step, "…Why…" My voice broke, "-am I not dead then, brother?"

"Foolish little brother, you are not worth killing."

A moment of heavy silence passed as a beat, I gritted my teeth like a clamp. My jaw strained from the pressure and my fists clenched at my sides, tight enough to draw blood.

"Do you wish to see the life drain from my eyes, Sasuke?" His voice was like a liquid vice. "If you wish to kill me-foster your hate, despise me, surviving in only such an unsightly manner such as this. By all means run away, cling to your wretched life."

I shook my head, trying to get the words out of my skull. But they bounced hurtfully, in the anime he had said that quote.

_But it was one this to watch it being said to someone, another for it to be said to you._

"This isn't you Itachi…" Itachi was suffering under that flesh mask. What was he truly thinking of now?

"I have only acted as the older brother you desire for one reason; because I wanted to discover how powerful you are. I needed to find an opponent worthy to test the limits of my own ability. You have that potential."

_Fuck_. New waterworks rained down my cheeks, I couldn't help but hate him in this moment. It was true, I knew the truth-but I couldn't stop the part of me that hated. He had still let himself be the instrument for the massacre, had he not?

I hated him simply for that.

I hated him now for everything he ever slighted against me. I hated how he denied me training those times, how he stole my tomatoes, how he was too fucking _perfect_.

I couldn't help the festering fire that burned in my gut.

I hated Itachi. I hated Danzo. I hated the Hokage. I hated Tobi. I hated the Akatsuki. I hated Konoha. I hated the Uchiha. I hated being stuck in Sasuke's body. I hated this world. I hated dying. I hated my old life. I hated _everything_. _Everything_ around me. Ninja. And their stupid _stupid_ morals!

But none of that hatred was greater than the hatred that cut towards myself.

It wasn't fair.

I felt like a three year old again, life wasn't fair.

But it wasn't fair that this was the price for inaction. That I really couldn't change a damn thing in the end. That I couldn't because I was limited in my influence in the Clan.

"Now that you hate me…" I glared into my brother's Sharingan eyes, "Now you'll want to defeat me. Which is why I'm going to let you live. It's all for my own benefit. Like me, you also have the possibility for the Mangekyou Sharingan. Which has one, single catch."

"You must kill your best friend in order to attain a higher Sharingan."

I played along determined, if Itachi was going to play the role of the killer, I'd play the role of the avenger.

At least…for now.

I needed to wipe away that hatred, a part of me knew it would destroy me.

"Shisui." I gasped out, pained from all the emotions bottled in me. The name of that idiot who always teased me sent a spike through my heart, I'd never hear 'kid' fall from his lips again. Even though he had died earlier, it still struck a deep cord with me.

"That is correct." He paused, and walked towards me, as I shifted back. But he was simply walking out of the door, we had not left the room that possessed my parent's corpse. He merely was letting himself out the door, he paused, his back to me. "In the main hall of the Nakuno Shrine; underneath the seventh Tatami mat from the far right, is our clan's secret gathering place. There you'll find a secret document; an explanation for the Uchiha Clan's jutsu, it tells of the visual jutsu's true purpose."

I perked up, "If you learn how to activate it, you will be the third person to ever have used the Mangekyou Sharingan, including myself." He chuckled lowly, the lines were all practically the same when I had watched them all those years ago, though my memory was slightly faulty-the order of the information was the same and delivered the same way. Though my rage and sorrow a distant part of me wondered if perhaps Itachi had practice this mask of his, if he had practiced these deceiving lies. "My foolish little brother… If you wish to kill me, foster your hate despise me, and seek revenge." He paused and looked back at my trembling form, "Then one day when you have the same eyes as me, come back and face me…"

His Sharingan shifted to that _horrible_ three-shuriken-pronged shape, then I was sinking, the world collapsing around me. The world went black and then, oblivion.

_Kelly was a baby, she had no right, wrong, or reason, but she reacted to the environment around her explosively._

_Her father picked her up from the crib, "How's my little lamb?" He cooed and rocked her. Kelly wrinkled her nose and stared that stare that babies do when their reading the depths of your soul. Then she giggled._

_"Ah! There's a score for Daddy!" Her father cried twirling her around, she smile a big gaping smile. There were two teeth poking through the maw._

_"Mhh Mhh!" She stretched a hand towards her father's face and grasped his nostrils, "Oh-you've got Daddy's nose!" She giggled and her affectionate father starred down at her. "Yes you do! Oh, yes you do-Ow. OW. Y-You can stop yanking on daddy's nose now Kelly."_

_The child in his arms just smiled incomprehensively._

_…_

_Kelly was six when she sat on a box sucking on a cherry lollipop. She liked sweets-to a degree. Mainly, just lollipops and ice cream, she hated cake. She looked around at the disarray in front of her, cardboard boxes where just shuffled and knocked together._

_They were packing, they were moving from the only home she had ever known. Kelly's keen blue eyes studied the place, trying to commit every single crack and line to memory? She wanted to remember the times she had argued, cried, and laughed here._

_It was her own way of saying goodbye._

_Her parents voices rang joyously from the kitchen, they were making subs together. They had loved to cook together, her father being a chef-her mother just enjoying to make pleasant food. Needless to say Kelly knew what good food was, and often turned her nose against to foods they served in the cafeteria (Perhaps she was spoiled but she loved the sustenance they gave to her.)_

_"Kelly?" Her mother called, soft lines crinkled up in a hesitant smile, "I've got a chicken sub for you."_

_Kelly beamed and hopped of the box, "Thanks mom!" She grabbed the plate from her hands as her mother and father sat down at the table with her. They looked at each other, "Kelly…" her father started, "We've got something to tell you…"_

_The little girl perked up, that tone meant something serious, it was the same tone he used to ground her._

_"Jack, I'll do this." Her mother stated, flipping her hair over her shoulders, "Kelly, I'm pregnant with your little sibling."_

_Kelly's mouth popped open, her eyes as big as saucers. Not impressed her father covered his eyes with his hand, "Maddie, you were always blunt…" He muttered under his breath._

_Then Kelly's face changed as she smiled a big shit eating grin, "Okay!"_

_…_

_Kelly was curled up with her new little sister in their new house, she was in her new sister's room. "Hush Hush Lull-a-by. Hush Hush Na-na-by."_

_She sang to drown out the screaming downstairs. Ever since they moved Kelly's father had switched to his own business. Her had been tired, too confident in the switch and had lost a lot of money weaseling out of the restaurant contract he had broken two years too early. (Law: Normally to break an Employment contract you sign for, let's say five years, you do three and want to get out, you have to pay a fine, and regarding on which company, the fine could be any number.)_

_Then they had been flooded with taxes and the mortgage, enough to put a good dent in their money. Plus Jack wanted to start up his own business._

_Of course, her mother thought her was crazy. "Our money is all gone. How is quitting your job the right choice?"_

_"It's a new start Maddie! A fresh, new, start to our new family!"_

_"A fresh new start?! Wasn't moving enough of a start?"_

_"We hit a little bump in the road honey but-"_

_"A _little_ bump?! Jack, we're completely broke! I'd be happy if we get food in the refrigerator next week!"_

_"We'll be fine."_

_"Yeah-" Her mother chocked on a sob, "Next month we'll be sitting out on the streets."_

_"Hush hush Lull-a-by, sleep tight now don't-you-cry."_

_…_

_Kelly was changing her little sister's diapers when her mother burst into the nursery sobbing, "Kelly,"_

_She cracked open a bottle of beer, Seven-year old Kelly raised a brow, since when did her mother drink? If she drank she sipped whine, not gulped beer. "He's so fucking insane, he's crazy." She gasped, tears pouring out of her eyes. "Whose crazy, mom?"_

_"Your father." Kelly almost flinched, she knew tensions was high, but she really didn't think her parents would come to her like this._

_Her mother sighed before choking, "We've should've never gotten ma- God damnit we're so fucking poor."_

Well, if you stopped buying Coach purses and Season Dresses maybe we'll be able to afford those things. _Sometimes it appalled Kelly how two completely opposite people fell in love, her father, the jokester who loved to get his hands dirty, he loved cooking, loved planting, creating things-he was an true artist. He could create entire houses from his bare hands, rewire TV's, he easy going, yet at the same time, smart-and strong. He was Kelly's role model. Her mother was a Keep-up-With-The-Jones type person, she wanted everything served on a silver platter. Not quite irrational, but within the lines of insanity and sane. She was strict, she was law._

_"You're father used to be the cream of the crop-he was infamous amongst his peers. We got married early-" She paused wiping tears, "Well, by that time I was pregnant with you."_

_"It was a big wedding, and from the sum he got from his father as a wedding gift, we were well set off for a long time. Forever in love, married in money…You're father was all of my dreams and hopes, I didn't care that I was young and inexperienced…With him I felt invincible. Until, well reality is like an alley fight." She laughed and wiped up more tears, "You struggle so you don't have to face it again. But it comes back stronger each and every time."_

_"Kelly…you love your mother right?"_

_"Yes mom…I love you…"_

_"Good." She stood up and walked out without another word, not even glancing at her baby in her daughters arms._

_"The world is crazy, sister." Kelly whispered._

_…_

_Young Kelly walked into her parent's room, "M-mom?" A brown haired female grunted and moved, she reached out a hand and shook her shoulder, "What?" A very grumpy voice asked._

_"I…I…There was….It was too dark, i-in my room…"_

_A bleary eye studied her, "Flip a light on then."_

_"But-"_

_"You're too old to share your parent's bed anyway, for god's sake you're like-eight?" Kelly's mother closed her eyes in a tired matter, "I thought kid's were over this stage by now."_

_"U-um they are! It's just…I just…"_

_"There are no monsters under the bed or in the closet, you'll be fine." She lectured "Now go get a good night's rest you got school in the morning."_

_"O-Okay."_

_"And for the good lord, stop stuttering!"_

_Kelly just nodded and padded back to her room. Nervously she patted down her short brown locks and flipped on her light, "I can do this." She said softly._

_Kelly had an indescribable fear of the dark ever since she could remember, in the dark she felt alone, abandoned, forgotten. Being alone, perhaps, was what scared her the most._

_Young Kelly shifted around her room and bunched up the pillows at the top of the bed. Then she gathered a few toys, (her favorite was a stuffed bunny with patchy ears and sown 'X's' for eyes. She almost always kept it somewhere near her bed, even though she was eight years old, she just couldn't part with the thing. In an great imaginative moment, she had even named her little stuffed animal, 'Bun Bun.' …No one had ever said she was good at giving names.) She placed 'Bun Bun' at the top of the bed, right next to her pillow. Then she gathered her most favorite book and a hidden flashlight._

_Kelly would do this often when she was scared, confused, or lonely. She'd just take a book and get lost in it, at eight, while she was immature in most aspects, her reading comprehension was high-school level. Something that she'd even had taken to getting many awards in._

_Kelly pulled out a thick book about 'Magick,' she was obsessed as someone could get with the fiction novels at that age, she loved any kind of book she could lay chubby hands on._

_Anything, anything at all to keep the monsters away._

_…_

_Ten year old Kelly sat at the counter eating cereal while making funny faces at her little toddler. She stuck out her tongue and flipped down her lid, never the less, her sister just stared at her with a deadpan expression._

_Kelly pouted, "Fine." She mumbled and spooned her cereal._

_"That's **it**. I've had enough of this!" Her Father's voice echoed all over the house._

_Kelly rolled her eyes, "So they're at it again…"_

_He stomped into the kitchen with two of his bags in his hands, he paused and looked at his daughters. He swept her sister up in a hug and a kiss, and leaned over and pecked Kelly's head with teary eyes._

_"Dad?"_

_"I'm so sorry my little lamb, I want you to know I'll always love you. We won't be seeing each other until a very long time." He didn't know quite how saying 'divorce' would make his eldest act._

_Kelly's heart sunk in her chest, "You're leaving us." Her father looked guilty, "Take us with you!"_

_He knelt down at her height "I can't, love. I won't be at home to take care of you guys for a little while, but you visit any time you want too."_

_Kelly bit her lip and nodded, her sister just gurgled-not completely understanding what was going on. "Okay." She whispered._

_But her father was already out the door._

_…_

_That night her mother settled in with another beer, her sister already in bed, mother and daughter sat on the couch watching TV._

_"You…" He mother slurred, "You always have to learn life lessons ya 'own way."_

_"Hmm?"_

_She shook her finger, "I should have never married that man…-always ends up in heartbreak." She muttered._

_Kelly muted the TV, "What do you mean?"_

_Her mother rolled her head back, "You just got to take up your shit and keep on moving, Ya know?!"_

_Kelly frowned, her mother wasn't making sense. "What?"_

_"Yeah…yeah! Your right. What. What the fuck?!" Her brunette hair bounced with her laugher. "What the fuck." Big fat tears rolling down her eyes._

_Her daughter hesitantly wrapped her arms around her mother, she didn't know what was going on but she could be there-couldn't she? She had lost count of how many times her parents came and talked about each side of their relationship._

_…_

_Kelly was sitting and reading under a tree, with a sigh she put the book down. She crossed her arms behind her head and starred up into the empty sky, leaves twirled in graceful little spirals towards the earth. _

_She looked at them thoughtfully, "What happens when leaves die?" _

_All she heard in return was the answer of the wind._

_…_

_An eleven year old with muddy brown locks clutched her school books to her chest. She was getting detention for being late without a note, again._

_…_

_A twelve year old sat across from her father in a booth. In her hands she held a steaming cup of coffee, "You sure that's good for you?" Her father joked tiredly, "It stunts your growth you know."_

_"I don't care." From the last time she saw him many wrinkles had bloomed all over his face, dark circles lined the underlid of his eyes like half-crescents._

_She felt a little sorry saying that s her father's face turned guilty, "Kelly…"_

_This needed to be said. "I don't want to be between your crap with my mother." She looked away, "Mother and you used to be the most eloquent couple on the block, now look where we are. We struggle to get food in our fridge and pay our bills, you walked out, and mother took up drinking and cussing. When did you come visit your daughters? Once a week?"_

_Her father's face turned to a frown, Kelly pushed away regret. He needed a wake up call. "Kelly I'm sor-"_

_"Don't apologize to me. I don't care anymore." Lies. "Apologize to your other daughter." She spat._

_"Don't use that tone with me young lady-"_

_"Or what? You'll ground me?" She stood up and shrugged on her jacket, "You don't have that kind of control over me anymore." Kelly walked out leaving her brown stained coffee cup behind with a broken father. The lesson was to push any kind of pain away at any cost. It was irresponsible, it was how she lived._

_…_

_Kelly and her sister were out on the porch sitting side by side on the bench, her sister's feet on her lap while Kelly ran a hand over her hair. They rocked in silence for a long while, enjoying the summer break from school. "You've got to smile more." Her sister concluded out of thin air. "You always go around so stern-faced."_

_"My childhood was robbed from me." Kelly shrugged, "I grew up early. I realized the world through different eyes."_

_Now it was her sister's turn to frown, "So that makes it okay to be a complete grump all the time?"_

_Kelly's lip twitched, "I don't know. Does it?"_

_"Nah…" She puffed up one of her cheeks in a way Kelly was always fond of, "I think you just have to smile through everything-kinda like those superhero's!"_

_No her sister wasn't obsessed with dolls, she was obsessed with Superman._

_Her sister sighed, "My homebase teacher said that a smile is a cure to anything."_

_Young Kelly snorted, "Even a cure to cancer?"_

_"Don't laugh at me!" Kelly raised a brow-that was laughing? "You're mocking me I just know it! A smile can defeat any pain or sorrow!" –There it was._

_Kelly smirked, "And what do you know about pain?"_

_"I broke my leg last year."_

_"Yes, I know. But there are worst pains then a broken leg, plus you cried when you broke it, not smiled…"_

_"I smiled when I got my cast."_

_"That's because you loved getting everyone to sign it for you, you thought it was cool."_

_Her sister grumbled. "I still made the best of it."_

_Her older sister smirked and ruffled her little sister's hair, "You've got a long way before Superman, Racheal."_

_"Kelly!" But still the elder smiled, maybe the saying was true-from the mouth of babes speaks the truth._

_…_

_There's a boy in Kelly's class with blond hair and dark eyes, he's considered a class clown-a total idiot who always smiling and goofing off. Kelly assesses him from the corner of her eyes, he's sticking his gum to the chair beside him, so the victim gets an unlucky surprise. He snickered while he did it._

_"Is that what my sister means?" She mused. Kelly didn't associate with anybody, she read to keep her mind occupied and studied when she was bored. She had no interest in social life, her sister was good enough for her at this moment, her sister and her books._

_Being so happy all the time…_

_What does it feel like?_

_"Waah! This is going to be awesome!" He laughed and swung around his chair._

_"Sit down idiot!"_

_The boy smirked, "This prank is totally awesome! My name is not Michael James the prankster for no reason!"_

_Maybe this is what she meant?_

_…_

_Kelly is walking home at that day late, she had stayed after school to rent another book from the library. Treading down the sidewalk she hears yelling coming from a rickety house in front of her, she winced, the people were insanely loud. She was pretty sure the entire block could hear the argument between mother and son. The house itself had shutters barely hanging by the respective hinges, the roof caving in, grass was all ripped up, the wooden fence that surrounded it had missing planks and broken tops..._

_Suddenly the door burst open and a boy is tossed outside in the muck. Rubbing his cheek he glared back at the house he had so violently exited._

_Kelly's eyes widened a bit as she paused in her step, that's the boy from her class today!_

_Michael James swung his head around to meet her gaze and leveled her a glare. Kelly, in shock took a step back, she had never seen a glare on this kid's face-it looked-…hollow. Still, Kelly held through until he looked away and slinked into his back yard and over the fence._

_Yes. She decided. This is what her sister meant._

_…_

_Kelly was sitting on her bed reading when her mother came in. She scoffed, "Still reading those comic's, Kelly?"_

_Kelly ginned up at her mother, "They're hilarious!"_

_"Just don't forget to do your homework." She groaned at her daughter._

_"I won't." Kelly promised, and her mother shut the door to her room._

_Kelly snickered, "Killer Bee totally owned Sasuke's ass!"_

_…_

_Fifteen year old Kelly snuck downstairs while her house was asleep, "Where is it?" She muttered._

_"Aha!" She plastered on a grin, "Life of the party, ne?" She pulled out a beer that was hidden in the back of the lettuce, and kicked back on the couch. "Enjoying a beer in secret at …three o'clock in the morning. Don't I have the life?" She muttered sarcastically as she nursed the bottle._

_She thought of the parties she danced at, the boys she hung out with, her sister._

_"Yes…Yes I do."_

_But she was only lying._

_…_

_Seventeen year old Kelly was behind the wheel of a station wagon. "Breathe, Kells," She murmured to herself, "You can do this."_

_She took the vehicle off park and eased the clutch, backing up slowly out of her driveway._

_"Yes! I did it on my own!" Kelly was happy she did that small accomplishment all on her own. This was the first time driving without a parents or guardian._

_Of course she was nervous. Then she jolted a bit, surprised._

_She wound up driving into a tree behind her._

_…_

_Eighteen year old Kelly was going into pre-med. One of her thrills was medicine, and she was finally entering college to become a doctor. She was going to go far and live the dream, baby!_

_She knew there'd be studying and work involved, but it didn't mean she couldn't party on the weekends._

_She had wanted so much to be a doctor, she wanted to help people. Ever since she realized a world of laughter she felt less dead and more alive than ever, she wanted to help people everywhere._

_(But was it truly an existence much less happiness?)_

_Kelly was going to make her family proud and become the first doctor. Her little sister had skipped a year and considered a little genius. Well then Kelly would find something too-something to be a genius in as well. She wasn't going to let her adorable sister show her up!_

_Her sister was a bookworm, like her sister had once been. But the difference was her sister continued reading while Kelly found distractions. But Kelly was still a bright girl, no genius sure, but bright._

_…_

_When twenty year old Kelly awoke she was next to her boyfriend in a messy bed, she sat up and winced._

_Todd wasn't exactly gentle. Last night they'd been drunk from dancing and had made their way to her dorm room._

_That and, she had a pounding headache from her hangover._

_"Fuck," She moaned, "I even have an anatomy test today!"_

_…_

_Kelly stared at the little stick in her hands. She breathed in and out deeply, her chest started to constrict._

_She screamed. Just from pure shock._

_It was positive._

_She was going to have a baby._

_…_

_Todd had taken to the news with a white face, his only reaction was, "You're telling your mother." Then he walked away._

_…_

_"What do you mean you're pregnant?" Her mother hissed. In other circumstances Kelly would find it mildly amusing that her mother was only slowly comprehending the information._

_"I'm pregnant, mother."_

_There was a long silence._

_Then it all went to hell._

_…_

_"I guess she saw herself in me." Kelly sat in front of her grey haired counselor, "Saw me as a repeat of her past mistakes." She rubbed her belly absently._

_"So you think because you resemble her past self she couldn't bear the thought of one of her daughters being like her past mistake?"_

_Kelly thought for a minute, "Aah,… yes. Yes I do. But what I don't understand is that everyone else left her too, so why wouldn't she be more adamant by staying near my side? Instead she abandoned me like they abandoned her."_

_The man in front of her stroked his beard, "Perhaps it is all she knows." He sighed. "People pushed her away for her entire life, it is only natural that she does the same."_

_Kelly bit her lip, "It makes sense-but even her own daughter's why push them away when she recognizes the mistakes everyone has done around her, by pushing everyone away she is continuously teaching her daughter's how to…well, be her."_

_"Sometimes, when people get older-they talk themselves in circles. They continue round and round in their life in a complete spiral." He sipped his coffee._

_"…till they die." Kelly commented. She snorted, "It explains why I was never able to talk my grandmother out of drinking wholesome milk. She thought it was like drinking raw calcium."_

_The greybeard's mouth twitched amused, "Ha! Yes, that's one way to put it."_

_"Anyway, I see what you mean. But do you think…that perhaps going through menopause makes her very…volatile?"_

_He nodded, "Could be that too, menopause does introduce new hormones to the body and can last for either weeks or a decade. It has women doing things that under normal circumstances they wouldn't have done. A lot of people don't believe in it, but it has been scientifically proven the hormones-"_

_"Do funny things with your head." Kelly sighed and leaned back, "Is it worse than being pregnant?"_

_"No," He gave a small smile, "I've read that pregnancy has the worst hormones that fluctuates your emotional stability. Though of course, I wouldn't know." Kelly giggled a bit, "But you seem to be doing fine now."_

_"Yeah," She sighed happily, "My boyfriend Todd asked to marry me, I'm so happy about it! It probably will be just a small wedding…"_

_Something flashed in her counselors eyes, worriment? "Was that the male you brought in here a few weeks ago?"_

_Kelly nodded, "Yes."_

_"Alright…well, I worry for you, you know-you've been coming here for years now."_

_"-And it helped immensely."_

_"You are like a daughter to me." Kelly almost flinched, she had bad issues with her real father, but he was right. He was a lot like a father. "I wish I could take away all of your pain."_

_Kelly abused her bottom lip, "…Yeah. Pain does funny things to people." She said awkwardly._

_He came around his desk and clasped one of her hands in his wrinkly one, "I'll be there for you Kelly. If you need anything-I'm just a phone call away." He waited to make sure it was absorbed by Kelly, with a swallow, she nodded, and he continued, "I cannot speak for your mother's actions, nor your father's, but I can say you have people beside you, who care for you. –Your sister for instance,"_

_"-Is already in college a year ahead of her graduating class." Kelly smiled slightly, "She comes up sometimes on the weekends, and I'm happy to see her from time to time. I can't help that jealousy though, she is going to do great things. I hope I just can be a great mother."_

_Her counselor looked serious, "You can be a mother and do great things at once."_

_"Yeah, I'm going to be a great mother. First, I'm not going to disown my child." She snapped back sarcastically._

_He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose at Kelly's selfish antics, "I think it's a good thing that you accept the situation at hand now, than later."_

_Her eyes flashed, "Oh, but who said I accepted my situation? I live by one motto: Laugh first, cry later."_

_…_

_Kelly walked down the aisle alone with a big shit eating grin, today was the beginning of the rest of her life._

_Today she'd become a wife._

_…_

_Kelly is in the hospital, "One last push!" The nurse encouraged her. Kelly screamed, sweat pouring in her eyes, her grip tight on the metal railings._

_After, she held the tiny babe in her arms, "Samantha." She murmured to the nurse with the clipboard, "I want to name her Samantha Anderson." The dark blue eyes of her new daughter blinked owlishly up at her._

_"Those eyes will stay blue." The nurse commented with a grin, "All dark blue eyes like her's do."_

_Kelly shrugged, "It doesn't matter to me." In fact Samantha was absolutely perfect in her eyes._

_All good mothers know when their heart has been taken by their child. Kelly was experiencing firsthand that pride, love, and adoration. It's absolutely indescribable._

_…_

_Kelly was twenty two and in her bedroom reading when she got the news from her sister._

_Her mother had crashed while driving home drunk._

_She just packed the bags silently, going about the motion of her days in a daze. She hadn't talked to her mother after she disowned her. Should she even go to the funeral?_

_…_

_She stands at the funeral with her young daughter, Kelly doesn't cry._

_But her daughter does._

_…_

_Kelly twirls a pen around her fingers, work was so boring nowadays. She wanted something exciting but having a child was expensive and dropping out of college made jobs limited. So she had applied for a job as a secretary to John Smith._

_John Smith wasn't the most asshole-ish of bosses, but he wasn't exactly a saint either. He was more…distant, than anything else._

_She sighed again, then straightened and started typing on her computer._

_…_

_Kelly was Twenty three with a three year old daughter that she was worried was mute. She was also worried that some junk from her bloodstream had ended up effecting Samantha. Had her past mistakes led her to mess up her beautiful child's life?_

_So she was in the doctor's getting her blood tested for this exact reason._

_"Miss Kelly Anderson?" A young doctor stuck his head through the door, "Hi, I'm Dr. Jack Hanmore, your doctor today."_

_"Hello," Kelly softly greeted, wringing her hands together._

_"I'd like to ask you about a few symptom's before we start: can you tell me if…"_

_…_

_"Cancer." Kelly stated blankly, "I have cancer."_

_"Yes, it is not a genetic one your daughter's blood was tested and there isn't any sign of the malignant. We will continue to monitor her for the rest of her life."_

_"Thank you." Kelly stated in a dreamy fashion. The doctor sympathetically patted her shoulder, "Treatment should start right away, I'll get the forms." He walked out of the room._

_Kelly was quiet. It hadn't sunken in. She had cancer. Not any kind of cancer, a rare bone cancer that happened in athletes. Kelly had been an athlete all through high school and a little bit through college. Track had been her main fling, but she had also dabbled and done swimming._

_Kelly put her head in her hands._

_Cancer._

_She screamed._

_…_

_Kelly was looking in the mirror. They had shaved her head and started therapy. Her skin was pale as a sheet of paper, and you could clearly see the blue veins in her temples._

_She took a deep breath, her hands shaking._

_"How do they do it?" She wondered, in all of the videos she had seen there had been inspiring patients-people who never gave up and pushed through. All had smiles on their faces, and even the ones that had passed on did it with a smile. What was that kind of strength? What was the happiness?_

_Or was it all just a lie they concocted because of the people around them?_

_But Kelly didn't have that strength. She could lie though._

_…_

_Kelly was in the hospital, she was staring at the slump in her bed. Where her left leg should've been…there was only a stump left._

_The cancer had eaten away at the bone, and was starting to enter the bloodstream, by amputating her leg they had hoped to stop the spread._

_My leg. She thought numbly. My leg is missing._

_The door to her hospital room opened, "Hey." She greeted her little sister. Her little sister had found and married a man in college and she was very happy._

_Kelly was jealous._

_"Hello." He sister gulped nervously. She slowly approached Kelly and sat on the edge of her bed._

_There was silence for a long while._

_"I'm not scared." Kelly broke the silence. "I mean I am, but I'm not."_

_Her sister knew what she was talking about, but stayed silent._

_"I'm scared because I'm leaving my baby in a world that doesn't give two shits. I'm leaving you alone, and I don't know what will happen to me." Kelly gripped the edge of the blanket, "But I'm not scared because I haven't regretted anything in my life-other than not living long enough."_

_Her sister was still quiet, but she started rubbing the stubble on Kelly's scalp._

_"Take care of her." She choked out, Kelly was mortified when tears started to well in her eyes. "Take care of my baby."_

_In the end, her sister didn't have to say a thing._

_…_

_Samantha had started taking voice lessons, at four years old she needed speech therapy, and bad. She wasn't illiterate, quite the opposite actually. She could read very well, but she didn't speak at all._

_Her mother was very worried, she needed to arm her baby before she left the world._

_So Kelly did arm Samantha, only with words, not weapons._

_…_

_"Father?" Kelly was in the hospital again. This time just recovering after she had passed out again._

_The amputation had failed to keep the cancer parted from her passing._

_"Hey." He sat down in the chair beside her bed. "Look-I've got to say I'm sorr-"_

_Kelly held up a hand tired, "Don't say it." She gritted her teeth, "Don't you dare say you are sorry for leaving us. It was your choice, you stuck with it, so don't you are apologize now."_

_Her father drew back with a hard face. "Kelly, your daughter-"_

_"My kid will live with my sister." She fixed him a glare, "If you've regret what you've done than you will be the best god damn grandfather on the planet."_

_"Alright." Her father said, reserved._

_Perhaps he didn't deserve it. But Kelly resented him for leaving her all alone all those years ago. Mother had been a drinker, and not very kind. She hated her father for not standing up tp her mother, not taking her and her sister under his wing like a real father was supposed to do! Not only that but he had left them to the dogs, only spoke when he had something to say-or something he wanted._

_Asshole._

_Kelly couldn't forgive him. She couldn't forgive her scum of a boyfriend either. Who left her on her deathbed and forgot his daughter to party. He didn't want to pay the money. He didn't want to price._

_It was the quickest divorce in history._

_…_

_Kelly sank fast into that deep dark world she had been so close to before, this was it. This was the end._

_Her daughter was on her chest-get her off!_

_Then down down into the oblivion bliss of death._

_…_

_Itachi watched as his new younger brother was passed from the nursemaid to his mother, then his father. His brother screaming his tiny head off all the while, they tried to soothe him, but to no avail._

_He hummed in a thoughtful manner, but leaned against the wall. For the first time in his short life, he was undeniably nervous. He wasn't nervous training with his father, or the clan appraising him for being a 'natural genius.' He just did what they expected him too, did what his father expected him too. He got a lot of attention for meeting those expectations. Was it really so wrong to go outside expectations?_

_But he was nervous about this. How to be a big brother? He thought, as the bundle was passed into his arms. His baby brother bawled, straight for fifteen whole minutes._

_Then Itachi had an epiphany. His father had recently taught him chakra control exercises, what if Sasuke was not just reacting to the shock of birth but the chakra signatures as well? Itachi had read that babies were very acceptable to chakra._

_He started to calm his energy, and funneled it gently into his brother. It wasn't healing chakra, no, but it was to calm the rampant chakra in Sasuke's body to match the pace of Itachi's own._

_After a few quick seconds, Sasuke adjusted and calmed his crying._

_He even started to smile._

_And Itachi started to figure out the problem of how to be a big brother._

_"He seems to like you Itachi," His mother smiled tiredly, as Itachi approached the bedside._

_"He was reacting to the chakra, mother. I simply calmed my chakra."_

_His father sent an approved look his way, the nursemaid stiffened, "Raw chakra is very dangerous in infants-it is highly unadvisable-"_

_"-Itachi calmed his chakra, by doing so Sasuke's chakra followed his." Fugaku stated in a monotone voice. "It's doing nothing on it's own. It's just brushing up against Sasuke's developing chakra."_

_The nursemaid ground her teeth, "Yes, Uchiha-san." She bowed an exited the room._

_"May I see him Itachi?" Mikoto stretched out her arms, Itachi nodded and placed the now sleeping bundle in her arms._

_"Sasuke Uchiha." She purred low in her throat, she squeezed Fugaku's hand. "Thank you." She said softly to her husband and son, starring down at their new addition._

_"Thank you."_

_…_

_Sasuke was smart. Way to smart. Itachi concluded, flipping through some of his little brother's notebooks. Yes, perhaps he shouldn't look into private things, but it had been out and the funny squiggles had caught his eye._

_Sasuke had practically figured out his own language. His own code as a toddler. Itachi was impressed, his little brother was certainly showing up to be book smart. Especially how he caught the little one climbing the bookshelf just yesterday._

_He should bring this matter up with his parents._

_…_

_"Sasuke has improved on his chakra control exercises. He has completed the 'Stick Leaf' exercise, and the 'Tree-Walking' exercise, and the 'Water-Walking exercise."_

_"Good. I like to see the improvement." Fugaku stated as he turned over another bill of the compound. Itachi raised his head, "If I may-he is improving quickly for a toddler. Prodigy level, even."_

_"But the problem is why does Sasuke hide his improvement?" Mikoto almost pouted._

_"Right now, Sasuke is only copying what he sees from others and what he knows about chakra. He has asked me numerous questions in the past about so. But perhaps he is afraid, or he is flying under the eye of useless attention." Itachi theorized, Fugaku shook his head._

_"I shall begin his training soon." Fugaku grunted, flipping yet another page over and not looking up from his reading, "He will need that trait out of him."_

_"On the contrary I think it's quite good that Sasuke is hiding it." Mikoto encouraged, "A shinobi needs to be discrete, and perhaps he is thinking that far ahead."_

_Fugaku paused, and slowly nodded, "If that's the case then why try to hide from the eyes of his family? It causes distrust in the clan."_

_Mikoto sniffed, "So, do they think my youngest son is a spy?"_

_"No." Fugaku discouraged, "But they think he has his own agenda."_

_"But he is but a child!" The woman protested._

_"Exactly. But he is growing up to be a shinobi."_

_"I do not believe Sasuke has a hidden agenda other than to improve his training." Itachi spoke up, "However may I try to talk with him?"_

_"But every time we do he evades us." Mikoto shot back, "He's keeping secrets."_

_Fugaku looked back down at his work and nodded thoughtfully, "He seems to trust you Itachi, enough to talk to him at least. Bring us back the answer." His dark eyes flashed at his eldest son in warning._

_Itachi nodded, "Another issue," He brought up, "Sasuke's training." He sipped his tea in thought, "I believe if you pour too much on him at once he may suspect that we know and cover up his tracks more thoroughly for whatever reason he has." Both parents were silent at that time, "However he likes to train on his own, why not leave out books of higher level jutsu for him to read and train with? There's a small clearing behind our training grounds we can direct him too. Sasuke is already improving rapidly on his own, I believe he wants privacy on his own and we can always monitor his progress and discretely guide him from the dark."_

_Both Mikoto and Fugaku consented, and Itachi went to find his younger brother._

_…_

_"As I suspected, Sasuke is monitoring his tracks because he is thinking ahead, he hides it from the family because he wants to hide his progress from the world in order to grow first. One truth of knowledge is the operation's end."_

_Itachi reported to his parents._

_Fugaku sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'm going to train that out of him. When I'm at meeting's or international trips, Itachi you shall lead his training then. If we are both out Mikoto you shall take up the mantel."_

_"Why not approach him directly?" Mikoto questioned._

_"Sasuke should come to the conclusion himself that he should not hide from us. If we approach him about it, who's to say the progress won't stop?" Itachi reasoned. "We can nudge him in the right direction but Sasuke must make the decision on his own, or the resolve will not be as powerful. He is already ahead of his years, why not let him in the Academy year after and see how well he does then?"_

_"Smart idea. Perhaps the classmates will trigger competition." Mikoto smiled, "Children always go to other children instead to their parents. Though you think they would come to us because of more experience."_

_Fugaku's lips twitched, and Itachi looked at the table with feigned interest._

_…_

_Fugaku ran a fist through his hair, he was stressed to the max about complaints and now he had to deal with the dishonor his youngest son brought to the clan each day. His stupid pranks got Fugaku a lot of paperwork and a lot of trouble; even if they were well thought traps for his age-he was using his knowledge irresponsibly._

_It cost him a lot of pride and he was angry._

_He had tried everything too, took away Sasuke's wire and kunai-he finds them anyway or loads them off another person. Take away Sasuke's toys? Doesn't care, has homework to do. Take away his books? Still nothing. Take away his bed? Nothing again. Grounded? Nothing. Harsh Training? Nothing. It was all futile and Fugaku was sick of it. He had lectured Sasuke a thousand times yet he didn't listen, he had sent him to bed hungry, no complaints or anything. It was like the kid was asking for punishment, for all the wrong attention!_

_The only thing that stopped Fugaku from yanking Sasuke out of the Academy entirely so he could apprentice under the Uchiha was because he had advanced far into his training. His training had exploded since the Academy and Sasuke was always found with a book. It was the only thing that pleased Fugaku about it._

_And the Naruto kid Sasuke was 'rivaling' he was the kyuubi host! The villagers thought the Uzumaki kid was a reincarnation, or a figure of the kyuubi, which, in Fugaku's opinion was very idiotic. He was a container of the Nine-Tailed Beast a jinchuriki. Yet still, it had the Clan Elders in an uproar about an Uchiha associating with someone who could level the village flat in a single night._

_Fugaku, as a leader was well aware of the situation. It cost even more clan stature to be lost. The village whispered how the Uchiha clan was becoming insane, or was conspiring against the village. This wasn't true, until now, the Clan was talking about a Coup D'état from the village. They pointed their fingers at the Senju tricking them into joining the village so they could abuse them any way they wanted too. They thought it was some elaborate trap, and with all they way things were pointing too-it was possible._

_But what of his sons? Would they really grow up knowing that this war was started over rumors? War had been started over less-but that the _Uchiha_ had started it over rumors? Though segregation was what made him and the Clan take that last step over the cliff. They were angry._

_As much as Fugaku was stern, he loved his sons. To say he cared for them was more appropriate. Just the way he had kept close eye on Sasuke's "private" training was proof to say he cared. (What Sasuke didn't understand was on what a dangerous line he was playing at, he could screw up his chakra coils, stop the flow from the-but on the other side Sasuke shown no struggle with chakra other than learning chakra control.)_

_His youngest was either a prodigy or a real idiot._

_Fugaku couldn't decide, also, his "secret" training was his only saving grace from the fury of the Clan'. Sasuke had been brought up in many meetings, or mainly, his expeditions. Fugaku struggled to explain Sasuke's training needed to be kept a secret because if word got out Sasuke's progress will falter. But he had barely licensed the clan to keep it from his younger son, it rose suspicions about his side of the family, but now a days the Uchiha had to be closer than ever before. Some clan member's even argued the younger generation should train as if there is war. But other's disagreed and mentioned that would bring their intentions out to spotlight. Never the less his son was unknowingly stalling the civil war, Fugaku didn't know whether to be happy or to be upset._

_Other than that, privately, as a father, he didn't want his sons to know the horror's of war. But even he agreed that the leaf villages' suggestions and incrimination was too much, it felt almost like betrayal. He wondered for a moment what Madara Uchiha and Harashima Senju would say if they saw the state the leaf was in at the moment. All of their work-draining into the dirt for a civil war._

_But still, the only thing possible for someone to control a demon fox was the Sharingan-the cost of that-blindness. Yet someone had used the Sharingan on the fox to incriminate the Uchiha, simply, someone had framed them. Was it their aim to make the village think it was the Uchiha?_

_As Fugaku looked around at his fellow clan mates he had a sinking feeling, perhaps this was the crook was aiming for all along._

_…_

_Itachi signed the letter of Shisui. He stared at the body of his dead best friend, the leftover pain from his eyes lingered in regret. _

_Mangekyou Sharingan. _

_The curse of grief and pain. _

_He looked down at the letter he had copied from Shisui's handwriting earlier, it looked like his handwriting but the meaning behind it all…Wasn't Shisui at all. _

_Claiming suddenly that the Shinobi life was too much-who would buy that? Especially when Shisui was too loyal to the clan. No, they would call him out why wasn't Shisui and Itachi at the meeting this time today?-Perhaps then he would strike then- when the occasion was ripe. _

_Itachi wiped away the tears of blood. _

_What would come next would be more painful than anything Itachi has ever done. _

_He had a mission to complete. _

_…_

_Mikoto was proud of her sons, both of them. As a mother, you know you are a goner the first time you lay your eyes on your child. Mikoto was no exception. Itachi and Sasuke were two blessings she had never dreamed would happen in her life._

_Fugaku and Mikoto were involved in an arranged marriage. The head of the clan never had a choice on who to marry, it had to be strictly within the clan. The more Uchiha blood that ran through the veins, the more likely it was to have an in clan marriage. For instance, usually if one parent was an Uchiha and one parent wasn't, than the child could usually pick their own mate-unless the clan was becoming too small or in times of war. Then they would marry back into the clan. However they would have less 'status' then the ones who were 'pure Uchiha' the ones who had both full Uchiha parents. They would have the most status and usually would be able to acquire a place in the Clan's advisory department-which was the highest you could go Clan-Wise. It was much more like a Clan Council, with elders to youngsters. In fact, Itachi had recently secured this place when he advanced to Jonin._

_There were two requirements able to get into this branch, first, all of this was based on who would acquire the Sharingan. Second, anyone who had experience at being a ninja on the field._

_She sat out on the porch reading a scroll of ancient law, Mikoto hardly remembered the last time she ever had gotten time to just sit down and read like this. Normally she was guiding or advising her sons-or helping Fugaku with clan things. Since Mikoto was a more human side of Fugaku, less of the Shinobi side._

_Honor. Sacrifice. Peace. She wondered what the meaning of these things were?_

_What was it like to honor something? There was plenty of pride, but what was honor? What was it like to love the village? Instead of the clan like so many other's did. They had been duped, set up to fail, but the other people of the village would either go with or against the Uchiha. People would die for the sake of peace, but if two parties are fighting for peace-who is truly right? What was it like to sacrifice oneself?_

_Mikoto knew all her life she was taught that sacrifice and honor are what makes a shinobi._

_But is that what makes a person?_

_…_

_Sasuke Uchiha held his breath till the girl was gone, he was crouched behind the stone tablet-he wasn't ready for her to see him-that woman. He hid, but at the same time he knew she wouldn't find him in her(-his?) mindscape because well, he was locked inside closed doors with no way out and she had no way in. _

_He stood up and walked around, quiet as ever like the dangerous Shinobi he was. _

_Why this happened? He'd never know, he could watch-he could comment on the things she'd do, but sometimes the woman would answer-sometimes no matter how hard he screamed she couldn't hear him at all._

_If _that_ hadn't had happened…._

**_"The girl has no idea…"_**

_"Shut up..." _

_A spinning sharingan glared at the shadows._

_That's right, he forgot._

_Sasuke wasn't alone in here._

_…_

_Itachi Uchiha had completed many orders. _

_But this one may have been the one to break the camel's back. _

_He stood above his parent's bodies, slayed by his own hand, with a grievous face. _

_Why? _

_Religion said that life was created by Kami. But why give life if the "God" only tested it cruel ways? Why bother creating life when all you do is test it-see how far it can stretch and bend before it breaks? If the purpose of life is to test oneself then why have life at all? Perhaps there was only good and evil in the world, nothing else. _

_This case, death would be so much sweeter than the fruits life could bring. _

_"Forgive me Sasuke…This 'sorry' cannot be said." He whispered to the howling wind._

_What must come to bear will break the user. _

_Itachi was officially broken-an empty carcass that will survive and hope for one purpose. His death. _

_No, but he had one more task._

_One more mission to complete. _

_The blood of two of his precious drained from the corpses and soaked the tatami mat beneath him._

_…_

_Sasuke was angry, yes. He nor his partner-in-mind couldn't do anything about the Uchiha Massacre-but he still would have done things differently._

_Or would he have? _

_This woman-'Kelly' had spent a lot of time with his family-all of his family. Not just his parents, brother and aunt, uncle. She was loud like a child, and her training was far more advanced than he could have ever hoped at that age. _

_"Stupid." He whispered to himself looking into her world, of course his parents had noticed her advancement-they were ninja's for life's sake. Not to notice something that significant in the household would have practically been a crime. He should know, he was a ninja._

_But as for why they kept quiet, Sasuke would never know. _

_Pain. _

_No one should lose their family ever. _

_Especially not twice. _

_Sasuke yelled and kicked at the walls of the cage. "Stupid girl!"_

_Then he felt her emotions-her utter despair, her thoughts._

_He realized something. _

_His family was now her family._

_Kind of what Naruto had once said to him, that you picked and chose your own family. _

_Out of all people, and even knowing their fate she chose them._

_His respect for the woman stuck in his body grew a tiny inch._

_"_**A full year**_…" The shadow laughed lowly. _

_That was right. _

_A full year the girl had managed to stall the Massacre. Sasuke was grateful, but knowing how stubborn his family was he knew she nor he wouldn't be able to per sway the family off their course for blood._

_But a year was better than what he had hoped for. More importantly, it seemed like the girl would survive. _

_Idiot? Yes. But it was stupidly genius that he distracted the Clan from the revolt, but on the other hand she brought great shame to the pride of the Uchiha._

_If she lived then he could-_

**_CRACK_**

_Sasuke just had time to turn around before falling into an endless cycle of throbbing pain, the stone tablets that had sat in the center of the side he was on-cracked. _

_Blinding pain._

_Then Sasuke was no more._

* * *

_A/N: Damn Itachi, you never know whose side he is on till he backslaps you in the face. Manipulative little weasel isn't he? Using his brother's trust then doubling back on to his parents, blah, why would he do that I wonder? I hoped this chapter explained a lot behind my character, her decisions, and more about the clan. This chapter was a bit boring, yes, but it's better than feeding you flashbacks in tiny pieces._

_ Sorry I'm so late with this! I had a __**busy**__ week. I had my lifeguard test, my driver's test, my birthday, my mother's birthday, my sister's birthday (Yes, we are all just a few days apart.) and one, stinky final. Oh, plus I had a few interviews and a scuba diving excursion. But It's all done after tomorrow!:) Well…most of it. I also had to go to a funeral this week._

_Oh, and I've started a new story. DON'T WORRY-I shall NEVER give up on this one. This new one is my secondary, I first got the idea off of ferpet's amazing story, 'I am a bijuu now great" so my new story, "Chasing Sunflower's" incorporates her idea into placing an SI into the body of a demon. Err-If you like this story, go check out that one!;) _

_I also feel like an idiot. Kenegi kindly pointed out my mistake of placing 'Nii san' and 'Nee san' Okay people, I got curious and looked it up, "Nii-san" is older brother and "Nee-san" is actually older sister. I pretty sure Itachi isn't feminine (I could be wrong) so I totally mixed them up and I'm sorry. This shall be corrected! Along with a few other minor details after this chapter is posted. Thank you for your time!_

_Question of the Chapter(s): If you had ONE summoning, what would it be?_

_-ME? I would do a fox. NO not because of the kyuubi but because they have been my favorite for a very, very long time. _

_Hey reviewers! You guys left me totally flabbergasted! Sweet mother of kibbles thank you for your reviews! I always look forward to them and I was so giddy!: _

_SasukeTanteiPHlover/Chap 6: haha, yes! Fangirls and friends and other torture implements-oh my! I look foreword to your next PM. ;) _

_Project 501D13R/Chap 6: You actually have spotted a character development! So all I shall say is that it shall be quite different from expectations-muhaha._

_ArcticIllustrator/Chap 6: I hope people spell your name right in the future…I fear for life if they cannot spell "Arctic" and "Illustrator" ;) Thank you for your reviews! Yep, I'm trying to put as much detail in to this as possible, I really did a lot of character developments this chapter (It was kinda drag.) But it sets up reason-so next chapter will be a little…not so stiff. Haha, and yes, my title shall stick to just plain, "Sasuke Uchiha." Thank you again for your review, _

_Gelasia Kidd/ Chapt 6: I am very happy you like it! Haha, this SI has a lot of growing up to do…and a lot of torture to survive-muhahaha. Thank you for your review!_

_Vixeona/chap 6: I agree with you wholly, Sasuke did take it a wee bit too far when he learned the truth. Haha and yes, I admit, it was little Lee! Also, when I got back to correct mistakes that little aliment I shall fix. I seem to have a lot of tiny little problems I keep missing when I read my chapter's over -.-' Thank you. _

_gohanFanfics/chap 6: Yep. 25 year old woman stuck in a child's body, all I can say is that her hormones shall be screwed. Ohh! I'm sorry I can't answer your question-you shall find out soon enough! _

_S/ Chapter 6: Thank you! Yeah-I was worried in the description a lot of people would think this was a Mary/Gary Sue. Hmm, I'm also sorry to say I can't answer your question about Kelly/Sasuke's dreams-you'll see. J Thank you for your comment! _

_A Reviewer/Chapt 2, 3, 4: With all of the little details people have been pointing out to me I do need some editing. I hope these few chapters cleared up some aspects for you, I had written them long ago but perhaps I was mistaken in holding off and should have made little details clearer. I have taken some of your criticisms into consideration. _

_I understand that you may never like my story, and I'm okay with that, but please do not criminalize it, I still put the work into it. My only other request if for you to critique my story, not my reviewers. Thank you. _

_Pizzafan123/ Chapt 6, 7: Chapt 6: Haha yes the chapter's kind of run away on me, hoped you liked it! Chapt 7: It's a tear jerker chapter! This chapter was a little boring, I know but I hope you enjoyed this one, it was supposed to explain a lot and give a whole bunch of sides to my OC. _

_Ivy Moonlit Rose/ Chapt 6: Yes, it grew legs and ran away from me. This chapter was kinda boring but eh, set up yadda yadda. It will get more interesting, (at least, I hope…) I'm glad you liked the days at the Academy. Thank you for responding to my swearing comment! Yeah, I'm just worried that she seems like a Mary-Sue as of right now. But I'm trying to shape and conform that. Meh. _

_Thank you for reviewing! You are __**awesome-r, **__haha-take care! _

_ALI-MEI /Chapt 6: We all must praise the ideal idea gods. I know, I was really debating whether or not for Sasuke to meet Shikamaru. I didn't in the end because of one reason, Choji. I can't steal Shika's best friend! (I love Shikamaru, not in the fan-girl way like you, but…still.) Kiba was unexpected, and kind of like a pre-run to the crazy Naruto. There was one thing I didn't like about the "Talent and Hard Work" thing, I didn't like it all through canon. There's truly no such thing as Talent, and if someone says you've got talent-they mistake it for work. I will say that 99% of the time people work to get into their positions, they earned it. Having Sasuke get beaten up is simply a catalyst. And yes-Rock Lee. Muhaha. Most of you figured it out hahaha. _

_As for Sasuke-Naruto bonding, pranks with Kelly and Naruto was just kinda and obvious thing to go with for me, it's not like Sasuke/Kelly is going to swoop in-be a knight in all shiny armor and save Naruto. I'm pretty sure he'd freak out and run away instead of becoming best friends. Actually my original format was having them both meet after the massacre but I gotta be quiet now or I'll give away spoilers. _

_Yeah. Sasuke's still "cool." Mainly because he's top of class and has those looks. Fangirls, The curse of good looks throughout the generations! Anyway thank you for your review, I really enjoyed your feedback! _

_Eldeweiss/Chapt 7: Thank you! I'm happy you liked it! J _

_Arwenia/ chapt 7 & 6: Hey! Yep, our little Sasuke/Kelly is maturing more into the Shinobi side (The dark side has all the fun and cookies. I'm so jealous I swear.) You're also right saying that Sasuke/Kelly couldn't do anything…but that doesn't stop them from blaming themselves unfortunately. Also, haha it was a little twist that the parents knew what Sasuke was up to all along wasn't it? _

_And thank you for your suggestions! You actually gave me an very evil idea, thank you! :3 I hope you do continue the suggestions, that was awesome! _

_Honestly when I started out…the brown haired kid wasn't Kiba at all, I swear all my stories grow into toddlers and toddle away from me. This story has it's own two legs. Also, thank you again for your review in chapter 6 and speaking up. It still does mean a lot J Thanks for your sweet reviews, I look foreward to them always! _

_Loving-you-is-a-crime/chapt 6: Thank you! Yep, everyone loves taking Sakura and Naruto but no one ever loves the poor bastard Sasuke. (While I'm not overly fond, why not f up the plot?) Muhaha. Thank you anyways, I hope you continue to enjoy my story! _

_SasukeTanPHlover: Hey! We are opposite sides of the coin this time friend, giving everything up for you're the sake of millions is admirable to me. Though what Itachi did was horrifying, it had a bittersweet ending to me. If I was in his situation I think I would have done the same. Sasuke is a very humane character, in his situation it is possible to see all of his decisions and why. However what he needs to learn is not hatred, it's forgiveness. And I haven't watched Elfen Lied, sorry. But anyway I shall continue following your fanfic, thank you for your review! J _

_Kenegi /Chapt 7, 4, 5 : Ah! Nooo-No canon! AU! I hope he doesn't become like his canon self or else my job as an author is like stabbing myself over in the eye! _

_Also for your others reviews…I'm deeply embarrassed. I can't believe I didn't catch those details! I will go back an edit those sometime between now and next chapter. Thank you so much!_

_Might/Chapt 7: I'm glad you liked it! The catchphrase…hehehe, it was so fitting. All of my stories are babies that grow up and walk away from me with their own legs, this one is no exception. I really enjoyed your review, thank you! _

_Kaito/Chapt 7: Thank you, I'm trying to incorporate as many details as possible (but there's so much, ah!) I hope you continue liking my story as it evolves! _

_Kit/Chapt 7: hahaha Bubble of Doom, I just about died-by-laughter when I saw you bring that up. Thanks for your review!_


	8. Mourning

_"This has been a time of tears and a time of laughter,_

_A time of celebration and a time of mourning,_

_A time of storytelling and a time of lament."_

_-Jim Short_

_Chapter 8: Mourning_

I awoke alone.

With an expanse of a white ceiling over me, I drifted awake. I thought to myself with a grin, _I-I'm back home! I did it! I'm back! _I felt like jumping up in rejoice-it was all a fucking comatose! Fate had just say, _haha_! _This is a joke!_ And pulled the wool right over my eyes!

_ThankgodThankgodThankgod_

Someone yup there must have loved me and answered my prayers.

Now I'd see Samantha. Maybe visit my mother's grave and apologize. See how my father was taking care of my baby girl and-possibly-forgive him (he needs to buy me a shitload of ice cream to make up.) I'd visit my sister's family, maybe play a few board games and sit around the TV with a nice cuddly blanket eating popcorn. Maybe even having cancer was a dream-haha! I didn't die! I'd crowd around my family and hug them to death-Sasuke wasn't me. I wasn't him. I'd never be him, ever. That kid was still alive in his fictionary world, me in mine.

I was so happy that it wasn't all real at all- I leapt from the bed with joy-_god damnit_ I'd _never_ underestimate the love for a family again! I made myself promise to always take care and love my little dysfunctional family to do my best to patch them up-

Then the Third Hokage walked in.

My imaginary world around me _crumbled_. My smile faded, my knees gave, and I sunk to the floor in either despair or anger-I couldn't tell.

He just stared at me solemnly, my eyes unseeingly peering at a black spot on the floor. "It…was r-real then. All…_real_..." A revelation to myself and I. All of it- was _real_. I closed my eyes, faces of my new mother, father, my aunt, uncle-then my old family, my father, my mother, my sister, _Samantha_.

I had lost them all…

Again…

Because of my stupidity.

_Because I was a fucking idiot._

He stayed silent-I didn't look up. My eyes were strangely dry, but my hands shook from shock. Soon enough I bent my head to the floor, my shoulders couldn't hold my head up.

I was not quite in a kneeling position, but my legs were twisted and laxed behind my hips that were angled towards the floor. My hands were under my shoulder blades, my right cheek pressed to the floor. My entire body trembled. My mind reveling in the cold firmness of my flesh to stone.

He cleared his throat, I didn't look up though. I just stared unseeingly at the wall. Pictures of both my families flashed through my mind.

I had lost my family three times, didn't I? First, was when my family broke into tiny island pieces from the fights. Second, in my death. And now…

In my old world, it wasn't like my family was absolutely horrible. But they all believed in realistic things, like money, power, status. They all believed in jobs and the economy, believed in science and the future.

But what was I when I was always stuck trying to recreate an imaginary world around me? Who was I to them? I was so different, insisting I was fine when I wasn't-lying straight through my goddamn teeth. I had make a plastic castle to surround me in, now someone just had pissed fire on it.

"I didn't ask him to kill me you know." I spoke out into the frigid silence, my voice calm, but at a very low grievous pitch. "I was so scared before and when it was happening-I didn't want to die... But now…Death would be so much more _welcomed_, but that would be too easy now, wouldn't it? Couldn't I have helped them? Couldn't I have saved them? I didn't put forth my all, I was a _coward_." I paused, my throat was really dry, who was I speaking too? Him or me? "I could _name_ them too-as I walked past the corpses. Aunt, Uncle, Cousin, Mother, Father." I didn't know _what_ I was speaking about. Sasuke's parents? Or my own? Was Sasuke's parents mine? I felt the pain so deep, I felt something deep in my subconscious mind break-I bit my lip.

Why was I talking to the man that ordered their death?

No, _Danzo_. _Tobito_.

I was to blame, _yes_, but they were the main _catalyst_.

I'm such an _idiot_. I smashed my face into the ground, _CRACK_ immediately I felt blood rush out of my nose-the pain was welcomed. I stared at the flushed crimson against the white tile stone, "Strange isn't. How fantasy fucks with your mind then reality punches you in the face." I garbled through the blood.

He didn't say anything, which I was happy for-I would have despised him more than now. Ilet a few high pitched and insane giggles slip past the mask I was quickly repairing around myself- As much as I respected this man I _hated_ him too-hated him for not standing up and taking no crime in his village, hated him for not taking care of Naruto better, hated him for not doing more-hated him for agreeing of the _slaughter_ of my _family_.

With shaky arms, I pushed myself to my knees-

What is strength?

Strength is… I thought of my old role model-the older, heroic Naruto. The same Naruto within arm's reach this very day-somewhere in this hellhole… It was a haven for others-but how could I live in the very village that ordered my families death? Who was I supposed to choose? How was I supposed to choose?

I had always assumed I'd just go with my country-over my family. But how could I realize the absolute agony of losing them all over again? I hadn't really mourned for my old family-always thought I'd just wake up. I screwed around, pretended to turn my eye to any suspicious affairs. Hah! This was all a _fake_ _fiction novel. _I'm not Sasuke. I'm Kelly Anderson, Single Mother from my home on _earth_.

Not some…_Some ninja in training_.

I'm Kelly _fucking_ Anderson! God damnit!

…Or was I little Sasuke Uchiha who lost his entire clan?

Strength is… My old family. I would have lived for them right? My old father, Jack… My old mother…My sister, even her husband and two little boys she had…

And _Samantha_…

Samantha, who was probably around thirteen right now-was not the Samantha I knew and remembered. I tried to picture what she'd be like, would she like pink? Dress in skirts? Or would she be the kind to wearing jogging uniforms and sneakers? What teenage "stage" would she be going through right now? Would she be in that 'goth' faze? 'Immature' faze? 'Party' phase? 'Independent' faze? Was she a happy kid? (-I hoped to god that this was so.) Was she quiet? …Was she troubled? (I hoped to god this _wasn't_ so.)

I probably wouldn't recognize Samantha now if she walked down the street-I couldn't kid myself. But no matter what, she'd always be my _daughter_. For that single fact I was proud.

So proud that I hardened the jello I called legs.

Strength is… I thought of the Uchiha's how they were all loyal to themselves, how they loved each other over anything. I thought of my late Aunt and Uncle, how they gave me little cakes and encouraged me. I thought of my late "Mother" and "Father" how they supported me.

My brother…

Dear Kami, how could I begin to _imagine_ what he was going through? Yes, he had lost his family, I knew too well the pain of that. But to have slain them by your own hand, then lied about the truth to everyone-watch as the village you sacrificed everything for casts you out as a criminal- never knowing the extent of what you truly did.

That kind of strength…

The strength to keep on _moving_.

I hefted myself up to a standing position, and squared my arms in front of the Hokage-slowly composing myself. He was still studying me with a keen eye.

"I would like to discuss funeral arrangements." I commented softly, running a palm over my hair and wiping away the blood on my chin. Considering the pain in my nose was starting to turn numb, I didn't think it was broken as I originally thought.

He nodded, still silent as ever-as he ghosted his way across the hospital floor.

He sat on the chair next to my bed, as I leaned back, "The Doctor is very anxious to talk to you after our session." He said, very quietly, his voice was soft. I nodded, probably wanted to talk about the high level genjutsu I was in. "You were in a High Class genjutsu, and you recovery time was about two weeks." I blinked. Two weeks I had been under.

I nodded again, "Mangekyou Sharingan." The Hokage stiffened, "_He_ told me." His shoulders lost his tension, but you could still cut the air with a knife.

"Itachi acted on his own, we did not ever suspect his intentions." He tried to concede with me, "We will do whatever it takes to support you."

I clenched my fists in absolute anger. _Liar_! My brain screamed, "Yeah." I said brusquely. "Alright…First I'd like to discuss the Clan Confidentiality law." It was the old man's turn to blink, but I didn't care as I plowed on. I needed to end this conversation in the next half hour or I'd be a sobbing mess. "Which means anything clan related now belongs to me correct? Being the last survivor of the Uchiha Clan?"

The Hokage looked uncomfortable, "-What I'm worried about sir, is that I have a rough idea on just how valuable our Kekkei Genkai is. I wish to accompany you to identify the bodies…" I hesitated on this part, I jarred myself, while I hated myself for not stopping this outcome, I had a _plan_ for it. "…and overlook the cremating process with you." I was just begging for more pain wasn't I?

At the Hokage's sharp intake, "That won't be necessary." I glared, "I've been in a coma for two weeks, who's to say someone hasn't stolen the Kekkei Genkai already?"

"The morgue is protected by Anbu." The Old man insisted.

"With all due respect sir, but there are Shinobi who can sneak past them. An example I can think of is _Orochimaru_, the legendary Snake Sannin." I was hitting him below the belt, I knew, I saw the shrivel of color in his eye turn black. In rage, regret, or calculation, I couldn't tell.

"What would he have business for the Uchiha Clan?" He questioned, all focus stretched out on me.

My palms became slightly damp I had to remember I was talking about his _student_, "Can you picture an Orochimaru with the Sharingan?" From a civilians stand point you could hardly tell he blanched. "I would also like you there with me to sense any possible high level genjutsu's."

He looked at me suspiciously, "It seems like you've had a long time to think this through."

I gestured to the bed, "I did."

His eyes narrowed into thin slits. I gulped, and looked at my hands, "Ensuring the secret of my clan is what my father would have done." He got this cross look between dread and sadness in his eyes. "So..please…Help me?"

He nodded, "The Anbu stationed at the morgue will help you, all preparations have left to be decided to you. Will there be a funeral?"

I bit my lip, I didn't think this one through, "Would the village pay their respects?" I wondered. "Who would go?"

The old man softened, "The people who knew your clan would go, why would they not?"

Then I nodded, "…Then I would rather it be sooner rather than later, two weeks is a long waiting for a funeral. I think a mass funeral should also be held…If that is alright…?" Speaking of which how was I supposed to speak to a Hokage? I knew how to talk to Elders but…Should I talk to my….leader-like that?

It didn't seem to matter to him, but talking about business and preparations seemed easier on him, and me-than talking about the… _massacre_… itself.

I didn't like that _word_, it sounded too evil. Too bland for the Uchiha, to…to _dead_. "Stop." I murmured aloud, raising a hand to my eyes. The God of Shinobi waited until I had myself under control, swallowing I continued along, "Also, what about the funds…?" I almost whispered.

"The entirety of the Uchiha funds have been left solely to yourself, now for the past few days I have hired a trusted source to organize the money should you need so. Mr. Fujikanta would continue working for you at a mildly low cost –and- he'd sort all the money made on missions; dealing with how your future should be funded with it."

I let out a shaky breath, "Okay." I didn't want to get any deeper now, my own throat was threatening to throttle me with sobs.

"Sasuke…" He sighed,

I interrupted him again, I know this man could kill me in a half a second-but he also stood aside when the _Massacre_ happened. I was an emotional tornado hidden behind a mask of business, I tried to hide that by turning my face away from him. "It never get's better, doesn't it?" My eye twitch-a small crack in my mask, "People hope for _salvation_ every day, believe in something so much greater-but there really isn't is there? Just endless bounds of suffering and hardship _in life_. So why should there be salvation in death? Why be saved when life is the way it is and death is the way it is?"

"You are right…It won't get better." I sucked in a little painful breath, "But you learn to cope."

"How?" I whispered. The Hokage stood up to his full height and bent down a little near my hunched form, "You'll find your own way. You must search for the reason why you are here, why you keep fighting. You must have these reasons…to continue on."

My eyes drifted to him and back down. The next thing I knew I felt a hand rub my head, I jerked away surprised, there was the Old Man, smiling down at my child's body.

_Why do I wake up every morning? What's my reason? _

_Why am I here?_

I…I thought it was my duty. To Sasuke, to Naruto, to the Leaf Village to be a Sasuke. I had to chance to change things for good or worse.

But was I doing it for me-or for everyone else?

_Why was I doing this in the first place? _

I could _walk away_ now. I could _hide_ in some deep _dark hole_ and never come out _again_.

Or…I could possibly save everyone from an apocalyptic world.

"Thank you…" I cleared my throat of another dry heave, "you've given me a lot to think about…" My voice was very thick and trembling-now I had a thread, a barrier between me and sorrow. The Hokage placed a hand on my shoulder and squeezed comfortingly, then left the room to give me some privacy.

I waited five seconds before the tears sprung lose.

_I was alone_. I was all alone because of my _stupidity_ and _procrastination_-of blinding myself to the truth. …I couldn't save them. I couldn't speak up, I couldn't outright try to convince them. I was a little kid who had just started the Academy. Who the fuck was I going to go too? What could I do?

But I didn't try-this was my fault.

I couldn't go to _anyone_.

I was alone. I was alone in a different world, with no family or friends. No allies. But a hundred enemies.

A hundred enemies. Enemies who would want me dead just for being an _Uchiha_. But I wasn't an Uchiha was I? I was Kelly Anderson.

But they didn't know that. They wouldn't care. They'd kill me anyways.

Was I going to run and hide again?

_Was I going to be a coward again?_

I cried, I let it all go. _Everything_. I mourned the loss of my old family, I mourned my daughter, my sister, my dysfunctional parents. I mourned the safety that cocooned my old world, that perfect little bubble-never touched by war. I mourned everything every fleece blanket, to every stinking electronics. I mourned playing with my child, I mourned her throwing silent temper tantrums.

I mourned the loss of the late Uchiha, I sobbed for the loss of my new parents, cousins, aunt's and uncles. I cried because I didn't have the guts to do anything.

What has become of me? Some woman who shied away from a _challenge_?

Eventually, my tears quieted, my back was too the door, and I was curled in a fetal position. I was tired from the crying, from the _disappointment_. From…myself. When would I stop running? I ran from my problems, I ran from my old parents-I ran from my sister. The only thing that I really had wanted to stay for was my daughter-right when I thought my life was changing, right when I thought _I_ was changing-death snatched me up, swallowed me whole and spat me out into a world of warfare.

I blankly gazed at the wall

_FuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuckFuck_

The door opened again and I stilled my thoughts, awaited with a baited breath. I focused in nothing and everything all at once.

"Uchiha-san?"

I flinched,

_UchihaUchihaUchihaUchihaI'msorryI'msorryI'msorry_

I didn't look around.

"I'm Dr. Fujii, may I check your vitals Uchiha-san?"

I didn't say a peep, I heard the friction of clothe moving around. I limply let the doctor check my heartbeat, my lungs, my eyes (concussion), my ears, my throat, my nasal cavities. I sat there, starring at zilch.

Then he turned his Mystical Palm on til his hands flared a green energy, he held them to my chest and did my body once over.

I think I unnerved him by how quiet and mentally unresponsive I was being, but he didn't say anything, and I certainly didn't care.

"Ahem, Uchiha-san I would like to discuss with you your diagnoses."

_Diagnoses_…?

He had some of my attention but-

_UchihaSorrysorryUchihaUchihasorryUchiha_

"Ahem…" He tried to get my attention, _no it's mine!_ He sighed then continued on, "It seems you have a chakra sensitivity." I perked up halfway listening-halfway freaking out silently, "But don't worry it can be very beneficial for a shinobi."

_Can't this wait till later?_

"Your chakra sensitivity leaves you very susceptible to jutsu such as genjutsu, you have felt the physical pain of the genjutsu you were put under, correct? That physical pain you will feel often if you are put under genjutsu. This is bad because the pain can and will cloud your judgment and mind during these attacks, far more so than others."

_Apparently it cannot. _

"However this can be good because you will have a high tolerance to being put under any illusion, and you shall have an easier time breaking out of them."

Roger, Dr. Asshole, can you leave now and let me wallow in the pain of losing my _entire_ family?

"This will also aid you in seeking out enemy territory, and sensing ninja. You could be a spectacular sensor ninja, if you were trained in it-in my opinion. Being trained in it, you'd be better than partner ninken. Of course, you have a slightly different situation, if you were attacked with a high powered jutsu you'd take on more damage than a regular person."

_OhMyGodShutUpAndGoAway_.

Weren't doctors not supposed to give their opinions anyway? I didn't want to learn that I had _zero_ defenses and I had chakra sensitivity that was more harmful than helpful on the _same_ day I realized lost my family.

Besides I couldn't tell if this weird kind of chakra sensitivity was good or bad anyways.

After it was clear I still wasn't going to speak he bowed, "Thank you for your time."

He shuffled to the door, _finally_! "Oh, and Uchiha-san, I'm sorry for your loss." I flinched again and he shut the door.

I closed my eyes, why was I reincarnated? Why was I here? What was my purpose? Why was I so useless?

_UselessUselessUselessUchiha_

What a _useless Uchiha_ I was.

_Hatehatehatehate_

Stop.

I needed to _stop with these thoughts_.

_Pleasekillmepleasekillmepleasekillmepleasekillme_

Stop!

Frustrated tears collective in my eyes again, and the door swung open once again. Stiffing I wiped the salty pools and looked discretely towards the door.

I blinked,

_Then I felt __**hate**__._

There, was one of the largest, godforsaken dickheads Kami ever made. And he had the _audacity_ to show up here ater all of his trickery and lies.

_Danzo_.

Coming to overlook your victory, Danzo?

_Wait_, I thought panicked, _I thought Itachi kept Danzo away from Sasuke in the canon. That was the deal wasn't it? Why was he here?_

_God, please. I don't need this pressure now._

"Sasuke Uchiha." He greeted, before sitting down in the hospital chair that the Hokage had briefly visited.

It ironically reminded me of 'Good Cop, Bad Cop.'

"I'm here to make you an offer." He had my full attention, because this snake you had to tread carefully around. With the Hokage and the Doctor you could weasel your way through, but this guy simply didn't care and was unfortunately gifted with a thing called brains. Evil selfish brains, but brains all the same.

But that motherfucker had guts to come prowling around here after convincing Itachi that a massacre was the best way to go about a Coup D'état, pssh he was oily after all he did.

"The loss of your family is sorrowful- the Uchiha was a powerful clan." _I bet_. "That pain your feeling now doesn't have to be that way." His voice was hard, honestly, it was a little unbelievable yet believable that the Root Master was here, what had I changed? "I'm here to offer you a place where no feelings like that reside, where you have no feelings, no past, no name, no future. Only the mission to focus on and wipe away that pain, and eventually… you can seek your revenge…A place hidden amongst the hidden _Roots_ rather than the top _leaves_ of the Great Tree of Konoha." He spat out _leaves_ like he was disgusted.

He…was offering me a place in Root?

I opened my mouth to tell this bastard to go to hell-when I paused.

Yes this bastard had killed my family, yes he had cause so many people pain… But he was right, he could take all of my suffering away. All of it, I'd not even have to worry about breathing because as far as everyone else was concerned, my breathing didn't exist. I didn't exist.

IF I had been under Itachi's protection Danzo wouldn't be here.

OR I was under Itachi's "protection" but Danzo was willingly to overlook it for some other goal.

_But what would be so big that Danzo would sacrifice everything he ever built, and a future civil war (for if the in clan's of Konoha ever found word of this surely they'd revolt which is the only threat Itachi's dangles over their heads..)_

This was a part of his plan obviously, trying to lure me with the power to grant me revenge. That was another issue, why try and lure me with revenge of all things? Danzo didn't work that way, he was more of an 'all controlling' type rather than have one independence amiss.

So what would be that big to have such a big character change?

Did I really want to find out?

Danzo was still stressing the anonymity between members of Root when I interrupted with my own answer, since I didn't really give two shits about him.

And at that moment I said something I'd come to regret many years later… _"I'd rather grow with the leaves then rot with the roots."_

Going with Danzo would be like spitting on both of my parents graves.

There's was nothing more said.

I should have known it would not have been that easy.

…

A day after the Hokage had me wheeled down to the morgue in a wheelchair so I could properly identiy my clan mates.

I named each and every one of them.

However none were missing their eyes.

But it wasn't like I peeled them back and checked.

…

They released me from the hospital a week after that, but I hardly was aware of what time passed.

I was still in deep with reality and the sheer lunacy of the situation at hand.

But sitting at home with a cup of hot tea in my hands made me wonder one thing,

What would I do now?

I was alone-_again_.

What would I do now?

Construct the same life Sasuke made for himself? Or become myself?

Who was Sasuke Uchiha?

Who was I?

Suddenly the innocent boiling tea in my hand seemed to invade my perfect bubble, so I chucked it at the wall in a fit of anger.

Who was I?

_Who was I?_

I calmly walked to the room that had once held my parents corpses, in the dim light I squatted down where their bodies had been and squinted.

_There it was. _

In the wooden spores, tiny caked drops of brown-but the smell was covered in some chemical that had been used to wipe up the mess.

I walked out of the room.

What had that proved?

Nothing.

Absolutely _fucking_ nothing.

But everything to me.

My parents were now dead.

That night I didn't sleep, nor did I for five nights after. Everytime I closed my eyes they screamed at me-asking why did I let them die?

I knew what I had to do.

I ran around the Uchiha compound gathering up as much information as I could-including the entirety of the Uchiha library-of course I knew there was so much more at the Uchiha Shrine (Nakano shrine) but I couldn't exactly decipher it until I achieved the Sharingan, so why bother to go now? Why not wait until I had my clans fabled Kekki Genkai?

I stored this information underground, in a safe inflammable place (something you got when you were a rich Head of the Clan Macho. I store anything that may be of future value to me there. As a personal library.) Just in case something went wrong.

When I finished that-I was to the door and the ceiling to the very corner was filled with old scrolls, books, and family heirlooms.

I wasn't stupid, I didn't have a death wish either (as much as I begged for it I wouldn't go out via starvation.) I knew I had to eat and drink, so I nibbled on the Main houses food, whatever was left over in the fridge and cupboards from mother's cooking. I set foot outside of the compound. Even when I ran low on food, I didn't go in search, even if it was crusted over with mold-I ate it.

I couldn't rest until it was over.

My feet had gathered calluses and blisters, and I had a sunburn stretching across every exposed inch of my skin.

I still gathered up all the clothes and personal belongings I had, hope chests (this broke my heart), socks, shirts, shorts, hiate's-everything, and tossed them just off the center of the compound into a huge pile-that touched the clothespin in the air.

I had found one thing of Shisui's I decided to keep in remembrance of my adorable annoying cousin who I was close too. A tiny ring that I had remembered when I was little, a ring with the Uchiha crest on it. I didn't have any picture's of Shisui-though it might have been in the Clan's files. I kept it on my thumb, as it had been just the right size at my age.

The other thing I did was I built and "earth barrier" around my house. I dug up dirt in a little circle around the main house and that was it.

Sometimes I felt eyes watching me, I knew the Hokage was constantly watching me, probably already had a clue as to what I was going to do. He also knew I needed to do this alone.

Finally it was ready.

I approached the pile of clothing with a tired gaze, I summoned the knowledge I had on hand signs and the little chakra I had left-and I set the pile ablaze. (I wasn't surprised that all got out of the jutsu was a pencil full of fire at best.)

I walked back a hundred feet to my inner circle where a mat and some of my father's sake awaited for me. I crossed my legs and leaned against the door calmly as I watched the fire burn up to the clothesline and travel to the roof beside.

You see, I noticed a while ago that the Uchiha district is connected by many intersecting metal clotheslines (and I was surprised to find out that it the clotheslines themselves were ninja wire-I had a laugh at that) above that about another story in the air were telephone lines. No lines exteneded outside the huge Uchiha walls-(besides Telephone.) So I wasn't worried about Konoha.

I cut all lines leading to my house one day before and made sure nothing that wasn't fireproof was within the vincity.

Honestly I was a little worried that the Telephone lines would melt and become live wires-but what ninja wouldn't be attracted to a gigantic bonfire in the Uchiha District?

Also, there's the tiny fact that fire doesn't travel across the ground unless there is something to burn, fire doesn't burn dirt so hence why I made a little dirt cubby in case fire did find something to burn.

What I really needed to look for was things flying from the air and smoke.

So one by one each house went up ablaze.

But that's what I did. That's how I mourned, I kept one precious memory-and destroyed the rest. To me I needed a new start, something to put all the pain behind me or I'd continue on forever this way. This was a so long goodbye to the memories and a rebirth of my mentality.

I set fire to the Uchiha compound.

Had I mentioned I forgot one tiny detail?

These were ninja, and they had dangerous weapons in their homes-

Like explosive tags.

What do explosive tags do when they meet fire?

I'll give you a hint-

**_Kaaboom_**.

* * *

Chapter **Two** and **Seven** have been revised. I would say chapter one as well however I didn't change much of anything.

It was really hard impersonating Danzo.

Anyways, stories been really depressinglately! There's a small shit and giggle's type extra at the end-

Gelasia Kidd/Chapt 8 & 7: -.-.-ask and you shall receive!-.-.-.-.-

Pizzafan123/chapt 8: THANK YOU, I'm glad that I did come across as giving you her perspective, I hope I didn't go all out for the 'Oh, Woe is me' type thing.

Theunfunny9/chapt 8: Thanks;)

Arwenia/chapt 8: Hehe when Sasuke found the clearing hahaha. I wonder what will happen when he funds out is clan knew of his exploits? Yeah, I was planning to add Danzo into the mix, I hope I got him here…But I couldn't bring him fully into Root-fully knowing that Danzo's manipulation played key in the demise. But it comes back to bite him in the butt (at least in my sketchy plotline it does.)

Eviline/chapt 1, 2, 3, 4: Meh, chapter three, I agreed somewhat-but sitting up is a possibility. It is because my niece has done it, and so has my (older friend's) child. When I was describing "Samantha" in the fanfic-I was referring to that occurrence. Since then my niece has toddled around holding her head up, I read about it and it _can_ happen there are muscles in the baby, severely underdeveloped? Yes. But they twist around don't they? Super babies. As for the speaking bit-you caught me in the middle of revisions. -.- when I reread it bout a week ago it _was_ unbelievable, so I am actually correcting some parts right now. In my original that you read it was clear what she wanted to say, in the revised, not so much. –But that will be out shortly…. Dot dot dot…Hopefully in the next few days it will become more believable.

Chapter three-yes Naruto shows up a lot. But he's the main character and supposedly supposed to be Sasuke's best friend…

Chapter 4: Meh, not as many fangirls. But fangirls all the same. Anyway thank you for your review!

Skydemon213/chapt 3: thank you! That makes me ecstatic!

Vixeona chapt 7&8: I'm SO SORRY I'm doing some revisions tonight and next week, so some chapters will be moved around. (I love the Sasu-lly mind if I use it? That was creative!) Yeah part two was boring….that's why I combined it. It's completely fine, think how I felt writing it. I love the naru-verse bit, but I couldn't help but feel like I was being a bit conceited being an author and writing so much about my character-even if it did help explain the character. There are some changes to part two, and possibly more come the following week. But I'll post with the next chapter of this and so on.

Summoning question: that's…a cool twist to a username. Mine's just "strange" in Latin. Yeah. AND HEY I answered same, foxes all the way man. But foxes have been my favorite animal since my childhood days, long before Naruto. Naruto was just a bonus pssh. That and…hawks. I was so jealous of Sasuke.

ArticIllustator/Chapt 8: Sorry! I've been so busy- ;(

* * *

Extra: Karaoke Sasuke Special

**A/N: Complete _Crack!Extra _Read at your own risk**!

Young Sasuke was brushing his hair after his shower in the morning.

I flipped back the light, trying to spike my hair in cool directions, or just slick it back. I had learned no matter which way I combed it-it still flopped in that back-spike. The bangs however drooped however they wanted. (Thus leading to many experimentations that had my mother shaking her head.) I _loved_ my hair. It was so awesome! I didn't know how the original Sasuke kept his hands off of it, sometimes when it was wet I'd comb it over my face and act like the Grudge, sometimes I'd poof it up and act like Cousin It. Sometimes I'd spike it in all directions and pretend I had orange goggles on my head (Obito!) and plan on buying a pair just to plot Kakashi's demise…(_Don't think about Tobito. Don't think about Tobito_.) When I slicked it back, I was reminded of a certain white/grey haired Jashinist (_Holy Crap he's real here, I do not want to get on the bad end of his hot poker-I mean scythe… thing. He's a creepy character that gives me the shivers, safely through the screen-he was pretty hot, in real life? Scaarrry mother fucker_.) Then sometimes I'd even braid my hair and act like a hippie, I'd 'smoke' my toothbrush and exhale, saying "Peace is everything, man." Yeah. I did it. I have issues, so what?

In a small way, I couldn't describe how good it was to be a kid again. I didn't care I acted like an idiot, it felt so _great_ to have a second chance at a _childhood_. It was absolute bliss to me, yeah, I was immature for a woman with a child, but I never had gotten the chance to be without seriously screwing up my life.

Even though I was scared shitless of this world, I truly was excited to have that youth at my fingertips again-and I _wasn't_ robbing the babies cradle.

At least, I don't think I was.

Knowing I probably killed Sasuke before he became Sasuke really was a stab at guilt. In my defense I have no idea why me, in particular am here.

But still…I felt really good to be a kid again, to mess with everyone's head with those adorable innocent situations only a child could pull off. Besides acting like a child was very benefitting for a shinobi career. Doing my bathroom expedites was a great way to…exercise my creativity? My acting skills? A ninja had to be prepared for everything after all.

Yeah, I was lying through my teeth.

However all of my bathroom adventures stopped the day I was caught.

It all started when it was too still. (I _blame_ the hush for _instigating_ me!)

The only thing I hated about the Uchiha, (_Okay I disliked a lot and loved a lot_) was that it was _too_ silent, too quiet. They were practically ghosts drifting all around the place, I hated it. I had come from a loud household, full of arguments and fights. This was a Hundred and Eighty degree twist, one that got to my head sometimes.

So I did what I thought was necessary in the silence, something to take up time and the empty spaces..

I started to sing, "She asks me why-I'm such a hairy guy. I'm hairy moon and night, hair th-"

I paused, frowning at my reflection, "No…"

I raised the brush to my lips, "_Shot through the heart!_ and your to blame-Darling you give _looovee_ a bad name!" –That would've been a great pick-if I had remembered the rest of the words. I slapped my head with the back of my hairbrush. Ugh, that was a _great_ song, how could I've forgotten Bon Jovi? Maybe being reborn in a different world does that to you…

One thing I was happy I didn't remember was Justin Bieber. (Sorry, Fangirls.)

I grinned, Sasuke singing _this_ song would be _hilarious_, I wanted to see it _so_ bad. I dropped my brush and held my hand in front of me-I had remembered the dance too from when I had practiced it for some school function in college-we were drunk. That's all I remember from the dance "recital."

"All the '_Single Ladies_!-all the 'Single ladies.-All the '_Single Ladies_!-all the 'Single Ladies. Now put your hands up! Up in the _club_, we just broke _up_, I'm doing my own little _thing_-" I wriggled my hips awkwardly, "Decided to _dup_ and now you wanna _trip_, 'Cause another brother noticed _me_."

"I'm up on _him_, he up on _me_, Don't pay him any _attttttention! _Just cried my _tears_, for three good _years_-Ya can't be mad at _me_." I smirked in the mirror. My little body singing Beyoncé was hilarious. My onyx eyes flashed in laughter as I struggled to keep my voice composed. Sasuke's voice wasn't too bad, but it was underdeveloped and sounded close to a girls.

'_Cause_ if you liked it, then you _should've_ put a _ring_ on it-If you've liked it you _shoulda_ put a _ring_ on it-" I shook my hand out in front of me, trying to imitate that dim memory of the dance. "Don't be _mad_ once you see that he _want_ it, 'Cause if you liked it you _shoulda_ put a _ring_ on it, Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, O-"

I paused, one hand wrapped around the brush to my lips, the other out in front of me. In the doorway was my father, Fugaku Uchiha was staring at my dancing and singing form with a slightly weirded out expression.

I chuckled nervously and dropped the brush, "H-Hiya dad!"

He gives me a flat expression and turns and walks away, "To-san?"

"To-san!" I chased a few steps after him with a hand raised to pause him, "I-I can explain! H-Hold up!"

I swore I could hear him muttering "_Definitely an idiot_."

(Hair, By: Jon V.; You Give Love a Bad Name, by: Bon Jovi; Single Ladies, Beyoncé)


	9. An Eye for an Eye

Chapter 9: An Eye for an Eye

_"If we chose to,_

_We can live in a world of comforting illusions._

_We can allow ourselves to be deceived_

_By false realities…_

_Or we can use them to hide our true intentions."_

**_Kaaboom_**.

Something exploded sky high to my right. "What…?"

This wasn't supposed to happen-what went wrong? The compounds, each house was blowing sky high. Each explosion caused the electrical lines above us to melt and become live twisting wires. From the explosion bits of wreckage crashed everywhere, the wires slashed and cut at everything they saw.

I tensed, regret and self-pity forgotten.

It was when an entire house exploded to my left, I got up, ready to go inside the thin safety of my house. _What the hell did I do wrong?_ Then out of the corner of my eye I saw a jagged piece of wood hurtling towards my face-_too slow_!-

WHAM

_SSRRCCHHH_

"_AAAGH_!" Was that me screaming? Pain bosomed in my head. The last thing I saw before blacking out was three figures dodging the wires and the ablaze pieces of wood.

…

_"Sssasuke-kun, the jutsu you are working on eats up a lot of chakra." Orochimaru smirked and loosely clutched his throne like chair._

_"Hn. That isn't a problem for you is it?" Sasuke sneered._

_"Not at all, but beware-you can only use the Chidori Current so many times…"_

_"But it takes out the opponents efficiently." Sasuke smirked, "And it is compatible with a chakra infused Katana."_

_"Watch how you are speaking to Orochimaru-sama!" Kabuto chastised from the sidelines._

_"Kukuku," Orochimaru chuckled at the death glare sent in Kabuto's direction, "You are turning out very interesting Sasuke…"_

_Sasuke said nothing and instead started practicing on his Chidori current._

…

My eye blinked open lazily, my hand however, flipped up and snatched something out of the air something too close to my face. (Ninja reflexes man)

"U-Uh, Hello Mr. Uchiha." I looked at my companion, _Great, _a nurse. She wouldn't meet my eyes but within them she had something-_pity_…?

Unlike other people I didn't really care if people pitied me or not, actually it was a great way to sucker people out of something.

Yeah. Call me heartless but I call myself an _opportunist_. Hey you're going to pity me? Thanks, my advantage.

It took me another second, but I realized something very important.

"Erhm….What happened to my eye?"

"Well," she pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, "Blunt Trauma and corneal abrasion."

"What?"

"When you were in the…wreckage…a flying projectile scratched your cornea. The blunt trauma and the abrasion caused you to lose your sight in your right eye."

"_What_?"

"A-and it's permanent because the whole of the eye was damaged, however perhaps with a transplant it could restore vision in that eye however a live host has to make the decision to transfer-" She rambled on.

Holy shit. My fucking eye. I mean, it wasn't the worst part of my body to lose, per say, my hand or leg-but why lose any body part at all? Canon Sasuke was completely limb-full. Nothing missing, no blindness.

I felt the bandages around my eye and panicked, oh that's _right_, I was an _Uchiha_, "What about my Kekkei Genkai?!" Would it effect how it worked? Would I even get the Sharingan now? Would I have it at full power?

She looked around nervously, the approached a mirror in the corner room, "Well…sir…" (1)

"It really didn't seem to affect it other than…" the rest she said was blanked out with me. She pointed the mirror at me, a single tomoe red eye glared back at my reflection.

I had acquired the Sharingan. (2)

Early. (3)

…

Unsurprisingly the Hokage came to see me, I knew by now that everyone thought I was cracking….But I wasn't, in fact I was much better than before…I saw an end to that dark tunnel.

You see, burning that compound was my mourning. It resembled my new life, one of lies and deceit I kept surrounding myself with, burning it meant riding myself of those false illusions. Living at the compound meant seeing the clan homes every day, seeing where they once breathed, talked, ate, slept-and I would be reminded of my failure. Seeing my parents dried, black, blood on the Tatami was almost my complete breaking point-but I knew in this world you needed a level head to survive.

Mourning for me right now was like trying to keep a waterfall in a plastic bag, it leaks, it breaks, it spills over.

Maybe I needed that reminder of keeping the compound there, but I also needed my sanity. If I lived there every day wishing what could have been, dreaming what could have been-I'd drive myself crazy. Maybe Sasuke kept the compound safe because he liked surrounding himself with his family, keeping their memory alive. I couldn't do that, knowing what I know. If I did keep the compound I'd keep the illusion that my family was still alive, gliding in and out of the compound.

I won't lie, the pain in my chest was overwhelming. The bite of loneliness roosting in my heart, I had lost them all. But I knew I'd have to learn to live half the life I lived before, with this big empty black hole in my chest.

Samantha. Mother. Father. Itachi. Aunt. Uncle. Over and Over and Over.

Burning it was my rebirth, again, over and over. Much like the flames of a phoenix, I will start over and over-until I do it right. Burning it exposed reality like a harsh beating.

This was the single fact that would push me on for my days alone.

So once again I was in front of Old Man Hokage-though I think he was worried if I was unstable, which I probably was.

"I did it _because_ I couldn't live with the ghosts hanging over my shoulder!" I gritted my teeth, trying to reason with the old fool.

He listened to my rant with a calm face, but his eye betrayed worry…and something else.

When I was done…he just accepted it. (Which pissed me off, I couldn't tell what he was thinking behind that serene face.) "Will you continue the Academy?"

I looked at him weird, "Yeah, why?"

He gave a small smile, and pulled out three textbooks from his sleeves. (Storage seals in the Hokage Robes?)

"You spent the first week of the Academy year asleep." With that he bid me farewell and left the hospital room, I looked at the books, I sighed and reached for them.

…

I surfaced much later, half way into my new Chakra theory text, turning to the light, I flipped it off and fell asleep willingly for the first time in weeks. It was an end to an old chapter. (_Pang_) The heartache fluctuated within my chest.

…

The compound was a mess, I stood at the entrance with an ANBU beside me, I called him Neko-san. (His mask was a shape of a cat.)

This was so familiar to me for some reason, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Though, in ANBU, nothing should be familiar all anonymous yadda yadda. Anyway this ANBU was supposed to help me with the rebuilding of the destroyed compound, yours truly. I didn't see why I couldn't just hire some random ninja to take care of it, it wasn't like I had money issues or anything. But the Hokage was probably worried that I was still 'unstable' from the massacre, so he sent a bunch of people to help (_watch_) me.

I still felt like I was missing something important.

We walked into the compound, "What style architecture are you looking to rebuild?" Neko-san asked me.

I 'hmmed' "Well, if there is damage to the Main House I'd like it to be restored to the way it was. As for the other houses…I would like them to be far different than the styles before them. Not many houses either, maybe just one to three guest house for now, because well…Who's going to live in them?" I shrugged and glared at the ground. _Not like I have anyone left._

We walked in silence past the ashes and burnt homes. "While you were in the hospital water and electricity is being resurrected to the main house, they should be fully functioning by the end of tomorrow."

I nodded satisfied, "Thank you."

The home I had lived in for eight years was half way collapsed, I knew from memory which rooms were caved in-kitchen, living room, my parents bed rooms, and the Meditation room my parents had been killed in. Also a part of the Japanese Porch was destroyed, but I shook my head.

It was ironic that my parent's death and bed (room) had been compromised, it was like that too would be the start of new beginnings.

"I would like to make a correction." I said softly to the ANBU next to me, "Please do not rebuild the old mediation room at all, it is not connected to anything but the porch and wall so it would not be that difficult…That and my old parents bedroom I would like to make into the new meditation room,"

The dark holes of the mask hesitated for a single moment, but he nodded his head at me.

"As for my brother's room…I'd like that wall to be knocked down, and all the possessions destroyed, join it with my parents room, please." actually this was probably already done, or at least my brother's belongings were being inspected, but I didn't know. I hadn't been in there since the massacre.

"Thank you…Oh, and did the main house get destroyed by smoke?"

"Our operatives saved the home from being polluted."

"…Thank you Neko-san."

He nodded, and, as part of the deal-I walked out of the compound.

Something about ANBU ways and being secretive. (4)

…

When I came back at sunset from the library the ANBU operative was gone, but he left behind three small and pleasant guest houses made of strong and expensive wood-it didn't even squeak when I walked across the floors! Of course it was barren- I needed to furnish it.

But they all had a decent sized kitchen and bathrooms, three small rooms, a living room and a mediation room.

He also (bless his heart) somehow transported some trees till it was growing around the houses, giving them a beautiful serene look. ANBU…can really do everything I guess. (From my level they were god level-don't get me started about Kage.)

I approached the Main House last, the Uchiha mark over the door way was scorched but I ignored it as I inspected the new kitchen, porch, and living room.

The shapes were exactly has I remember it, but the color? Wasn't.

The color had a burnt thing to it, a little shady in some areas, but somehow someone had put a varnish on after the wreckage to preserve the wood and prevent it from smelling. Neko-san had blended his own style in with the wood, and I admitted it was very elegant. A soft black and brown earth tones now covered the room.

Overall it was new.

Overall I liked it.

I smiled to myself, and explored the rest of the house. The (now) gigantic new meditation room would be substantial for indoor practice, the wood was harder in the room-and cold like stone.

I think…I could have handled the situation better, I was very rash choosing to burn my ancestors homes, rather than honoring them.

But I felt so much better.

I didn't need illusions of a fake life, and I didn't quite need the pain I brought on myself, I needed balance. This settled something within me, something that could make me grow stronger.

I went to my room, it was strange, after all this I just fell asleep in my own bed. I kept expecting it to be burnt or something, but nope-it was the same. So before I went unconscious I unpinned all of the posters and threw all of the toys into a chest in the corner.

But I'd admit I left my favorite green and red dinosaurs out, (comfort? Normalcy? My mind wondered.)

Then I drifted off once again. (5)

Unannounced to me Neko-san watched me with a keen eye from the distance under a great thick trunk.

…

_A Shinobi must prepare before it is to late too._

Being a Shinobi with one eye was a huge risk.

Sure there was even blind people that were Shinobi, but usually, they had some kind of sensing technique. But I had practically none, I could sense people within ten feet of me, but that was it, and I could sense when a genjutsu was being placed over me. Wow, I am the most awesome sensor ever, any good ninja can cross ten feet in three seconds, from my blind spot that's hardly enough to turn around and block, especially being just an Academy student. Not to mention…any decent chunin could sense that. To counter fast strikes I needed to be fast.

Looking at the wall of training equipment I frowned, "Hello Uchiha-san! Do you need any help tody?" A tall rosy-face man bounce up to me, the shopkeepers loved me, I usually spent a lot of money in whatever store I went in. I had recently acquired new furniture for my house. Good oak furniture is very expensive, but very very durable. In my old world, I had an oak chest that lasted in my family for five generations-we used it as a table, a chair, a prop-everything. In this world oak was a dense wood that made ninja life much easier, the Hokage desk, for example was made out of oak. Now think of the Kages breaking that wood-scary  
(splinter's, yum.)

That reminded me to get ninja-gloves.

I had an obvious blind spot on my right side now (Which was currently covered in bandages.) Everything-surviving as Sasuke would be much, much harder. Sasuke had both eyes and was a very good genin. I had one eye and I sucked-chakra control aside.

"Hello Merchant-san, could you in fact help me with some purchases today? I seem to be a little troubled with so many selections."

This shop was the Super-market of the ninja world. It had everything, from weapons, to armor, to training to scrolls-not to mention there were a lot of ninja in here. Of course there were shops with specialties, like just armor, or just weapons but this was great if you just wanted something within budget and something well-made, not super rare or custom.

"What are you thinking on for your training?"

"I was thinking on weights,"

The shopkeeper shook his head, "Weights are popular among the aspiring Jonin however at your age-eight? I will say that weights might effect your overall growth." He paused and glanced around his shop, "If you are looking to get faster and stronger I have weights for you train with," He led me over to where some dumbbell were, "This would strengthen your Taijutsu." He handed me twenty-five pounds.

I balanced it in my hands, "Can I have a set of them?"

He nodded, "It comes with six weights as a starter course. Normally, if you can do about two hundred sets then you can come back and buy another set."

I grinned, my clan had their own dojo, yes, but they didn't have this kind of training. They had targets, shuriken, kunai, all those kind of things. Most of the techniques and jutsu were above a level. But I wanted to work up to weights so I could build my endurance for my Tai. I would probably have to train till I faint to get up to the speed Lee had gotten too (My ultimate goal, but I wasn't seriously hoping for that speed-after all he focused all on Taijutsu and I had two other subjects to learn.)

_A Shinobi must endure. Rule Eighteen._

I looked around, what else? I had come here really for weights and to get an idea of what I wanted to go into.

"What scrolls may I purchase?" I was only allowed a small section of the scrolls in the shop, stuff for beginners-but that was alright with me. I was a beginner-and this stuff was all public anyway. If I wanted to I could probably sneak a Genin technique in there, if it wasn't obvious.

I crafted a plan too.

While he briefly went away to help customers, I snagged a beginners guide to creating Genjutsu off of the Genin rack, they snuck back over to the Academy level. I also picked up Iryo-ninjutsu (No, I could not 'major' in this…but I wanted to learn basics before the Academy let out and I was a Genin.

In my…smaller years I had read a lot of history and Academy stuff, I had begun memorizing the Shinobi Rules and the basics stances they taught at the academy. Because I was so ahead, I could take my time to branch out to other things.

But on the other hand I needed to divide my time carefully or else I'd get behind.

There was one more scroll that caught my eye, "Summoning Technique."

It was in the Genin and Chunin Section, I spun my head around and when no one was looking I snagged it. It was just basics to summoning Human's and Animals, it also had listed the General Summoning's of Konoha, I noticed with a smirk that Toads, Slugs, and Snakes _weren't_ on there. Beneath each summoning was a scribbled description of each animal and what they were known for. (I.e Dogs, tracker, hunter, tackle, Taijutsu, partnership, etc etc) But there was another reason I was excited for this-It was the beginning of Fuinjutsu. Yep, I wanted to learn tidbits of Fuinjutsu.

The reason why I knew I could get away with buying information that was usually above my level was that the titles on the scrolls were very small print in Japanese, and the price of the scroll was a sticker on the side. Usually Genin and Academy information was the same price, but Genin techniques had a different price than Academy Techniques. That's how most were caught, but I could get away with this general information-so I did.

I also snagged a small scroll on the Transformation Jutsu, because I'd be using that to the extreme as soon as I learned it. (Shinobi could tell when Chakra was activated, sure, once again how most of the naïve young Shinobi were caught. I had learned from observing very closely to a young Genin getting caught in the Jonin section by Merchant-san.) But if I was generally practicing an chakra control exercise, like say I was walking on the wall-they wouldn't be able to tell that from if I was walking on the wall _in_ _Transformation_. They'd only be able to tell if I had my chakra activated.

The last thing I picked up was a _very_ detailed map of this world. (It was about as long as I was tall.) But it had every major to minor town to every stream bed to every port on the ocean. It was useful, but there was hundreds of towns and places I had never even heard of-much less pronounce. We had Geography in the academy, true and with that we learned what we should use on what landscapes and what we should bring on certain missions out of country. But I wanted to try to pinpoint where most of the shit and battles were going to go down with the sketchy memory of the plotline I still had. Though-it wasn't really the plotline here anymore-it was the _future_.

I couldn't remember word for word the details of the battles (except, perhaps the Zabuza mission, because when I was a small brat in my old world I watched it over and over and cried.)

I was officially done-until I saw the weapon section.

I walked out of the store with a wooden sword (For practice, not play, it was fairly heavy.) And two packs of senbon (I had a strange fascination with them.)

Pray forbid I end up like Genma.

…

Two days later I was caught up and back at the Academy.

It was very strange, going back into my schedule, this time, without parents. (_Pang_.)

People either avoided my eye, or smothered me.

"I'm so sorry for your lost dearie, your family was full of great people."

"Dude, did you hear? He burnt his compound to the ground-he's crazy!"

"I'm sorry for your loss…"

"The Uchiha was a great clan! All made of great legends!"

"Kid, if you ever need anything at all-you can come to me okay?"

"If the 'last Uchiha' was so great why would he burn all of his families Heirlooms to bits? He's not that great if you ask me."

"Stupid that one."

"I feel so sorry for him, I couldn't imagine myself in his position."

"Of all the Uchiha that survived, it had to be the useless one."

Every time I walked out of the gate of my family compound, I was bombarded with _this_. Some acted as they understood, (_How can you understand_?) some acted sympathetic (_You have disrespected my clan before_) some just outright hated me (_At least they are admitting it.)_ I could take the hatred and skepticism, what I couldn't take was people pretending to be best friends with the Uchiha when I knew they shunned them when they were alive.

So I found a different mode of transportation, to and from the Academy, I call it-box on wheels.

Which- literally was a box on wheels, that my younger body could squeeze into and push around in any direction. (Konohamaru had the right idea.) Then I'd deposit it back behind the Shinobi School and I'd walk in.

-They wouldn't know it was me, they wouldn't talk about me-happy for both parties. It was a bit pathetic yes, but I didn't know how to travel over rooftop yet and it was ingenious at the time and age.

All similarities to the outside world and the academy ended there, at the comments. Because I will estimate more than half of the population at the Shinobi School worshipped me.

Meaning, Fangirls.

In canon it seemed like all the girls in class (exception of Hinata) worshipped Sasuke. This time around I'm betting a quarter of the class that knew I pyro'd my own home tended to avoid me. This included some of the other boys as well.

I was so disappointed the Choji and Shikamaru started making it a point to hang at least twenty feet away from me at all times. I knew it was Shikamaru's doing, damn geniuses…

But some were oblivious, they heard about the burning of the compound but though I was just 'cool' because I pulled off so dangerous. (Did I mention they thought I got my right eye blinded because it was my "mysterious battle wound" from the Uchiha Massacre?) Both girls, boys, men and women were giving me attention, I was the last heir to the Uchiha, crazy or not I was expected to perform well.

No matter where I went, I was trapped.

I tried reaching out though, I really did. But it was so infuriating, people my age only cared about status. Most of the girls that adored me saw my wealth or whelped versions of myself twisted to their romance (I never felt so disappointed in fangirls at that moment, stalking me and trying to sneak into the men's bathroom was one step too far.) The girls that didn't like me were convinced I was a crazy, stuck up brat who could only be touched with a ten foot pole. Granted, these numbers were fewer but…The boys in the class either saw me as their idol, for attracting so many girls, being rich, surviving the massacre, and being the top of the class all at once or they downright hated me and declared me as their rival these were a majority of the male population within the Academy.

Naruto naturally was the first of these.

I was disappointed, I had worked hard on building and grounding that relationship with Naruto. I didn't want him to see me stuck up _ever_, I wanted to be his friend. Not just because of canon anymore- but because under that bratty image I saw a glimmer of what could become the man he was supposed to become. He was funny, in an immature way-and he was blunt, but truthful.

So I tried to fix what I could in a span of two years but it got worse and worse. I was ten, counting the days till graduation.

The class compared me to Naruto, my pranks were less embarrassing, but more predictable, I also always had a motive (revenge, antagonize, revenge, goal.) So in that sense Naruto came to resent me, because no matter which light I was in, I was always one step above him (In his eyes.) When before I was down on his level. How was it fair when Naruto did the same things as I did wy did I get praised and him, criticized? It wasn't fair, and I completely agreed with him. It was complicated, annoying and stupid. Now that he thought I had all this fame I was becoming "a _real_ jerk…" not that he thought that before- but a rich ungrateful jerk.

But since the massacre I had been quiet, but starring at the empty walls in my room I had decided the night before to do something about it. I needed to let him know I hadn't changed….that much. That I was still "Sasuke." But I…mourned a bit more, I was a bit more serious. I had done being 'depressed' when I burned the complex down (Goes to show how long I can stay depressed, then I lash out) but it changed my outlook in life.

I didn't take things in stride anymore I was more…observant would be the word more calculating. I would soon need to start the run of my plans, I had some of the setup down. I had copy rights to all claims of the Uchiha estate, all possession were mine to do with. Other than that, and rivaling Naruto, there wasn't much I could do as a kid before the canon series started.

Though it got progressively harder and harder to think that way-this was my life. But still on the other hand it did have a plot and I had an advantage. An advantage I could replicate.

Originally I planned to make the canon characters who passed the Academy all come together and train, but that was a bad idea. Because we _were all in the Academy_, if I got Konoha nine together and it actually showed results who's to say the rest of the class joins in? Who's to say then someone will get booted out of the original sequence if we grow stronger together.

It was incredibly cruel of me to pick and choose but to help this world I needed to know what would come next.

Let the fishes swim on their own.

On the other hand it was also stupid the rule that 'only 60% passed. Bullshit you're telling me if more actually passed the second test they wouldn't be allowed to graduate? What if in the original canon people had passed but they failed them to let the Clan Head through-if only because they would have extra training and more likely hood to survive? (Sakura and Naruto were an anomaly, and without my family-how could I possibly relate to my Clan's style of fighting? (Honestly, I had figured that answer out in my head already but _they_ wouldn't know that.)

"Oi, Naruto!" I called him by his name for once, because usually if I called him Fishcake he'd just ignore me and walk away (brat.) I had lost my huge grin I plastered on my face before the massacre, my smiles were more subdued.

He turned around and got a bucket of red and white paint all over him.

Hey, my pranks all had kinda the same pattern, unlike Naruto who was completely random, but I liked the red and white theme. A lot.

"Hey what was that for you asshole?!"

I shrugged, and dropped my two cans to the ground, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"

He blinked and grew red with anger, "_HUH_?!"

"Hello? You've ignored me for the past few months, didn't talk to me, didn't even prank me other than to complain what a jerk I am to everybody." I felt like a jealous girlfriend complaining to her boyfriend, 'you don't call you don't talk…', "Usually that would be okay….if you weren't blatantly ignoring my challenges. You are my number one rival-_humf_, but it seems like you've turned into just a coward, you're not worthy of the title." I taunted.

"Excuse me?! I can beat your ass any day Uchiha!"

"Bring it, Uzumaki!"

He swung a fist my way but I dodged, Naruto, at this age was painfully slow for a ninja-and my speed was just above Kiba's. But I kept dodging his fists-we were in the middle of the street so people whispered and flocked towards us. Fights in the open were common, because of testatorone, ninja's, and competition and if you looked at it- gave the civilians a sense of safety knowing how their ninja would fight-as long as no one broke their stalls.

The crowd grew bigger, '_Hmm, maybe it wasn't such a good idea to do this with all of these people around._' I hummed, then sighed when I spotted small beads of water gathering in my (supposed) friend's eyes. Pools of frustration-'_this is going to kill my ego but…_'

I hesitated, and Naruto took that chance to punch me right in the face. I fell, '_Alright, that's enough, I gave him_ _hope_.'

Alright, perhaps it was 'cruel' of me to give him hope then rip it away, but It works because Naruto would savor that 'win' and work faster towards his goal to catch up with me. Logic, see?

In the next thirty seconds he was flat on his back and my forearm was against his throat. His blue eyes stared at me in shock while I panted, I felt the bruise blackening on my cheek.

I didn't dare smile, the crowds around us for once were silent of all whispers and bets.

Then the moment was over, Naruto shoved me off and ran away. Sighing, I straightened myself.

We had a lot to work on, didn't we?

…

Training with one eye was hard. Hell, walking with one eye was hard! I had to compensate for my weak side in my Taijutsu, which I tried to incorporate as much as I could… The scarred tissue of my right eye was covered with a black eye patch with a navy blue middle. I had also combed more of my bangs so it was parted down the side and hiding most of the eye patch with long blue/black hair. On the other hand I had the Sharingan-and everyone knew it. New spewing rumors flew from the brainless civilians, I would be just like Itachi because I was a "genius."

Assholes.

On the other hand I was thankful, I was worried I would never get the Sharingan, for instance-for being…well, me. I had said before I wouldn't use the Sharingan because I hated copying and cheating.

But you had to remember, ninja's were ninja's because they cheated. We weren't Samurai.

So guess who snuck to watch the Konoha Green Beast train _every_ morning with bloodshot Sharingan eyes (besides when he wasn't on missions) at Four o'clock? (Oh, I said _morning_. Crazy, inhuman schedules.)

Yeah. The only reason why I didn't walk straight up to him was because one, I didn't see little Rock Lee with him. Two, he really was as scary, loud and eccentric as he seemed from my memories…But much worse, since he seemed to be up in peoples personal space too much. Three, I didn't want to be wrapped up into his insane work outs-my body wouldn't be able to physically perform them. Four, I didn't want to be wrapped up into wearing a green leotard.

Unfortunately, it seemed like this decision was already being made for me.

I had just settled down with a notebook and pen behind the book, usually I sketched the techniques he'd practiced over and over again. Of course, the Sharingan was perfect memory, but I jotted down thoughts and ideas I thought to incorporate so I could carry my own style. Blend it with the Uchiha's own.

Gai would come to the Training grounds at 4:15 sharp, he'd train till 6:30 on his stances, muscle building, and weights. Then he'd go for a sprint around Konoha a few times, but he'd never return in the morning. Though I noticed he'd come back sometime after noon, though I was usually was in school.

"DYNAMIC ENTRY!"

Then pain blossomed all over my back and I went sprawling across the training ground, notebook and pen went flying out of sight, spittle choked out of my mouth.

I rubbed my back and stood up to the green monster across the way, striking a 'Good Gai' pose.

I gave him the evil eye, "Was that necessary?"

"Ah! So you are the Youthful Spirit who wakes at each hour to watch the Great Konoha Green Beast Sweat!"

I blinked, no use hiding from a jonin, eh? "My name is Sasuke Uchiha," I offered hesitantly, shit, how was I going to weasel out of this one? "I want to improve my Taijutsu training and I heard you were the best in the village." Flattery wouldn't work on a Jonin.

"OH! So you've heard of my Hard-Working Genius have you! How Youthful You Are! To go So Far out of Your Way to Find me!"

I blinked.

He continued, "Taijutsu is made up of beautiful blood, sweat and tears! You must Give It Your All if you want to Train With Me!"

"Wait-train!"

"We Shall Start With Three-Hundred Push Ups My Youthful student!"

"What?!"

Was it me or everyone in the Leaf Village seemed to hate letting me speak for myself?

…

I was ten when I met someone who would be not just influential in Sasuke's future, but in mine as well, and boy-I never expected it to turn out like _this_.

"Hello uhm…"

"Go away, I don't care about you or your endless love for 'my Sasuke-kun.'" I said to the girl confessing to me, not even looking at her.

I know being a woman being shot down hurt a whole bunch. I knew it was so painful being shot down so rudely by some guy who was only interested in himself. But normal women would go away after such a bad rejection right? They'd eventually come to hate the guy and think he's such a jerk, then forget about him.

Not my group of fangirls though, they were the anomaly to this rule. _My_ group of fangirls had amazing faith. (Or obsessions.)

No matter what I did, I could be rude, embarrass them, ignore them, laugh at them, they wouldn't go away. I tried being nice, I tried being polite but either way they bounced right back around. I tried telling them I wasn't interested, they told me that 'They'd wait for me because I was their Sasuke-kun and they'd be the first ones to date me,' or that I was gay 'why are you lying to us Sasuke-kun? You were hanging out by the onsen yesterday-did you see me?' Gross. Seriously what the fuck, we were ten year olds for gods sake. (I _was_ near the onsen, even after ten years sometimes it would slip my mind that I was not in fact a girl anymore.)

I felt my faith in fangirlism go down a few notches.

I swear, even the sound they make when chasing me is worse than the sound a moose makes when his dick is stuck in a snow blower.

…What?

But that day everything started to slowly change, right when I thought everything was settling down too.

"Excuse me? _What_ did you just say to me?"

I blinked from my reading, and swiveled my head around to the girl again, and blinked again.

Pink. Hair.

Sakura Haruno stood in front of me, a bento box in one hand the other on her hip. "Oi, jerk, I was just going to ask if I can have lunch with you and go over homework."

Needless to say my jaw dropped.

Wasn't Sakura… like some huge fan of Sasuke-practically worshipped the ground he walked upon?

"Listen, you are cute, but you're kinda weird." I deadpanned, Sakura had certainly changed from canon, "You pull pranks and break the rules like you don't care-yet you follow them in class, even happen to be the top of the class! Maybe you are better than that loser, Naruto at least, but I don't see why Ino fawns over you. You may be smart, but when it comes to socializing you are a complete dork."

She paused staring at my face, "Am I right?"

"Uhm-"

"You do pranks not just because of a motive but because you don't know how to talk to people. Which you try to avoid them as much as possible, and Naruto tries to talk to them the same way."

"That's not-"

"But it's okay," She smiled down at me.

"It is?"

"Because I'm going to teach you how to talk to people and _be nice_, since you are a bit nutty. So-friends?" She grinned innocently.

What was with canon women bossing around my life? Ino swearing she'd make me fall in love with her, and now Sakura…was someone I had no clue who she was…

"Couldn't you just ask if you wanted to be friends and not insulted me? You do know that doesn't decree the chance of you actually being my friend, right?"

Sakura looked a little sheepish, "I guess…it's my Shihan…she can be a little…forceful with introductions and you insulted me right off the bat so you pissed me off (5.)"

I grumbled lowly, "I pissed _you_ off?"

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Let's start again," I gestured to the seat beside me, "Hello, my name is Uchiha Sasuke."

"Hi Sasuke," She smiled, "My name is Haruno Sakura."

"So…Saku…What do you like to do?"

She scowled, "Don't call me that makes me sound like a guy. But anyways-I guess I like reading and training with Shihan."

"Who is Shihan?" _That changed you into a bipolar bitch? _Though I couldn't defend myself.

She waved her hand dismissively, "You probably never heard of her, her name is Anko Mitarashi."

I blanched instantly, my face going a pale white, the temperamental Snake Mistress of Konoha?

"Actually you were apart of our meeting- you didn't do it consciously of course but I'm glad it happened." She leaned back thoughtfully tapping her chin, "I was out getting milk, and you were running through the streets for some reason- when you bumped into me, causing me to bump into her. Then we hackled for a bit then eventually…she started tutoring me to be more confident in my Shinobi skills."

Mother fucking Kami, this was _my_ fault?

…

A while ago I had decided a new outfit and armor was appropriate.

Unfortunately me, being a former girl and innocent I had no idea what to buy. My parents didn't teach me, they had long since been dead-though I remember the easy 'Must be flexible material' part of it. That was simple enough, but I wanted something just as flexible as it was armor.

So walking into an armor specialist, I gravitated towards the smaller men's sizes-though once in a while I'd chance a longing peek at the girls side blooming with lots of different colors.

I tapped my chin thoughtfully, holding up a piece that kind of looked like a bowl, _Erm, isn't this supposed to be on the girls side for their breasts?_

Then I twisted it around_, Oh! No it's some kind of helmet!_ It didn't fit.

I frowned confusedly at it, flicking it, I noticed it was very solid. But what was it used for?

I placed it over my ear, ear protector?

Two of the woman who ran the shop were giggling and whispering, looking in my direction.

_Uhm…? _Behind me there was no one there, what were they looking at?

Finally it seemed like one of the women had pity on me and approached me to whisper in my ear what _exactly_ that piece of equipment was used for.

A men's protective cup.

Apparently it was also highly advised for boys and girls to wear this to protect their nitty bitties, due to the high possibility of "the real Dirty Shots."

Needless to say after my face put a red tomato to shame.

After that little stunt the women helped me out around the shop.

I walked out with mesh armor covering my entire body. Over that, a thick dark blue vest with a high collar that cut off just below my chin-completed with a silver zipper. I also had black capris with a hundred hidden pockets for weapons and storage, and two blue run way stripes down the side. I also had dark blue sandals and gloves with metal plated on them. As a woman, I thought it was kind of cool for armor. It was resistant to any weapon that cut a little _too_ close. It certainly was better than what I pulled from my memory from the original Sasuke.

I never got why so many women loved him when what he wore was so _dorky_. I'd rather wear Naruto's orange jumpsuit than Sasuke's strange outfits. Somehow Sasuke could fight in a one piece track suit, and a stripper outfit, when I think about it, doesn't it make more sense to just go with the jumpsuit?

But moving on-because the world didn't spin around

…

_"Sasuke, your chakra is spreading out too quickly. To use this technique safely you must concentrate your energy into a tight impacted ball."_

_Sasuke gritted his teeth at his perverted gray haired teacher, "I'm doing it." _

_"No you are not." Kakashi reprimanded, "To vitalize the Chidori you must have a firm grip over your chakra or it could run haywire and kill you and anyone within a few miles." _

_His raven haired student just nodded, beads of sweat slowly working their way down his face, Kakashi observed him for a moment. "Stop." He said, a little disappointed, he should have known not to expect more, but hell, one week and the kid was already sparking lightning bolts, the kid was a prodigy. A damn good one. _

_But Kakashi always liked to push his students just a little farther, "Okay now we are going to work on speed training and resistance training. You will need speed when defeating Gaara." _

_Sasuke kept his well sliver tongue in his mouth and clamped down hard on it, Gaara._

_Kakashi was worried, that's why he brought Sasuke out here. _

_Neji was a Konoha shinobi, ultimately if it came down to it-he wouldn't kill Naruto in battle. Gaara on the other hand? Kakashi had seen what Gaara had done to Lee in the finals, and knew Gaara was a bloodthirsty enemy. He also knew, that Rock Lee was a very talented Genin, yes, all he had was Taijutsu but he was fast-and that almost broke through the barrier. _

_But Sasuke had more potential, but he needed a lot of work. _

_What could break a sand shield? _

_Lightning, water, maybe wind. Earth and fire would be practically pointless. Earth Gaara could turn to sand, fire would be able to harm Gaara yes, but not penetrate his sand barrier. But Sasuke had fire, and Kakashi was delighted to learn he was compatible with lightning. _

_Chidori and speed were the two tactics Sasuke needed to survive this fight. _

_He had a long way to go, that's why Kakashi decided it was best to concentrate and privately train him._

(1) The nurse is nervous because Sasuke Uchiha is a heir to a large fortune and power his clan once had-was now all passed down to him. They had a lot of influence even though the Uchiha abused it. Also…if you were a nurse and some punk kid just burnt down his family compound when they were _massacred_ by his _brother_…wouldn't you be nervous around them? Also, you had to tell this kid he was half blind.

(2) NO. NOT MARY/GARY Sue. But the Sharingan is opened through trauma, or strong emotional influence. In my original I didn't have this, but it seems natural for me, no. Sasuke will never have the potential he has with his eyes now… An 'Eye for and Eye' is what this chapter is called. He lost half of the power of his Kekkai Genkai for the price of having it early. What could Sasuke do with only a fraction of his true power?

(3) Losing and eye….gaining and eye, it symbolizes that Kelly is not seeing the truth that is in front of her and was blind. Therefore, the blind eye symbolizes her past, the Seeing Eye resembles the future and present.

(4) Why did only one ANBU go with Sasuke? Well, would you need more than one to handle a midget kid? Uhh, No? Plus that character was canon…but what canon?

(5) I did a little research, "Shihan" is a master teacher-or a model for the art of Kendo. I wanted something other than "Sensei" because Sakura has sensei's at the Academy.

Question of the Chapter: Who was the ANBU (Neko-san) operative? (I might have made it obvious?) He IS from canon people! (This is not a major part of the plotline but it was a taste teaser,)

Meh, I've decided to stop most of my Review-Chats online. If you have a question, I'm just going to PM you to debate about it. Some people are bringing up the same stuff and I don't feel like explaining myself over and over. I actually didn't expect this many reviews to be coming in allat once, while I'm pleased, it's hard to keep up with an indivisual review response. So I hope your questions are answered in my new descriptions (that are now numbered at the top.) If you want to talk directly to me, feel free to PM me or just leave a question in the review box!


End file.
